


The CEO's Assistant

by BriellaBleu



Category: Glee
Genre: Angst, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-28
Updated: 2017-01-03
Packaged: 2018-09-12 20:53:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 37
Words: 208,869
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9090343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BriellaBleu/pseuds/BriellaBleu
Summary: Sam is the CEO of an advertising business and he's also a heartless bastard. He hires sweet but sassy Mercedes to be his new assistant and over time they fall in love. However, will lies, secrets, and misunderstandings drive them apart?





	1. Prologue

It wasn't supposed to end this way…hell, it wasn't even supposed to have begun in the first place.

As Mercedes stared down at the positive pregnancy test she could feel the tears welling up in her eyes again. She promised herself she wouldn't cry anymore, not about this. She had dreams, and a 5 year plan and being single, jobless, and pregnant at 26 wasn't a part of any it. How could she have let this happen? How could she have been so stupid? How could she have fell for him?

Her mama always warned her about letting herself fall for a pretty smile and even prettier words, but Mercedes never worried about it because she knew she was too smart for that. And she was too smart…until she met him. At the beginning she hated him and he hated her but like the saying goes, there is a thin line between love and hate and at some point they crossed it. Well, she did at least. She fell head over heels for him despite all the warnings and for a while it was perfect. But because nothing could truly be perfect the cracks started to show. The lies were revealed. The things done in the dark were brought to light. Their shiny, happy, perfect world was shattered and she was the one that suffered.

Mercedes was pulled sharply out of her thoughts by her cell phone ringing shrilly on the bathroom counter. She picked it up and started dully at the name on the screen. It was him. She looked at her call log and was surprised to see that it was the 22nd time he had called in the last thirty minutes. She wondered briefly how she could have been oblivious to all of those calls, but then she glanced back down at the little white stick in her hand and it all came rushing back to her. It's kind of hard to hear a cell phone's ringtone when everything in your life systematically changes. The phone rang again and Mercedes glared down at it as if it were the reason for all of her problems. Once upon a time it would have warmed her heart to see him trying so hard to get in touch with her but now she felt nothing. She knew at this point that he must have finally found the letter of resignation she'd slipped on his desk when he was away and he was calling her to demand an explanation. She knew she had taken the coward's way out by not telling him face to face that she was quitting but she knew her weaknesses and he was one of them. She knew that if she stared into those piercing green eyes of his and he asked her to stay then she would, no question. She loved him so much, but too much had happened for them to ever go back to the way they were. Too many words had been said that couldn't be taken back. Too many lies had been told that couldn't be forgiven. Too many secrets existed for there to ever be trust again. Leaving was breaking her heart but staying wouldn't have broken her soul. He had taken too much from her already, he couldn't have that as well.

Once again Mercedes looked down at the white stick in her hand and somehow despite it all she felt a small smile start to form on her face. He may have taken so much from her, but he had given her one precious thing as well. She rubbed her belly softly and closed her eyes and said a quick prayer. She was not ready for this and it wasn't in her plans but she would make it work. She had to, her child was depending on her. Mercedes took a deep breath and tossed the pregnancy test in the trash. She debated keeping it for the baby book but she decided against it because she could always take another one, and travelling with a used pregnancy test didn't sound like the best idea. Walking back through her living room Mercedes took a quick survey of all the boxes scattered across her apartment. Almost her entire life was boxed up and ready to be shipped off midway across the country. She quickly made sure everything was labeled correctly so it would be easy for the movers to just grab things and put them in the back of the truck. All the rest of the stuff that wasn't boxed up was left out for her friends to pillage through and take or throw away when they came and supervised the movers for her. Mercedes wished she could be there to oversee the move herself but she had to get to her new place and get things settled…or at least that was the lie she kept telling herself. She knew she was running from him. She knew that the second he got that letter he probably went on a rampage looking for her, and the fact that the calls to her cell phone had stopped was a pretty good indication that he was on his way to her apartment. Mercedes hated running, she hated feeling like a fugitive but she couldn't risk the alternative. If he found her before she left then she would stay and she deserved better than that. Their child deserved better than that.

The house phone that Mercedes never used and didn't feel like packing started to ring but she didn't bother glancing at the caller ID because she knew it was him. The sharp sound of the incessant ringing snapped Mercedes out of her reverie and she hurriedly grabbed her suitcase, purse, and keys that were by the door. She knew she was panicking and acting irrational but the ringing was about to stop and the answering machine would pick up and he would leave a message. As stupid as it was Mercedes wasn't even sure she would be strong enough to walk away if she heard his voice through a piece of machinery. She quickly shuffled out the door without a backwards glance and slammed it shut just as the last ring ended sharply and the answering machine clicked on,

"Hi, you've reached Mercedes. Sorry I missed you but if you leave your name, number, and brief message I'll get back to you as soon as I can!"

"Mercedes…Mercedes? It's me, Sam. Baby, I know you're there….please be there. I got your letter and I don't accept your resignation. You can't leave, do you hear me! You can't leave! Please…please don't leave me. I love you and we can work this out, it's all a misunderstanding. The baby is not mine its Stevie's. Just let me explain. Please? I'm almost there, just let me explain. I promise it will be okay. Mercedes…are you there?"


	2. First Impressions

"It's good money."

Mercedes rolled her eyes and switched the phone from her right ear to her left. She had been talking to her best friend Kurt on the phone for the last hour about a new job opportunity and the only response he could give her was that the money was good.

"Um, I realize that but being someone's personal assistant is not what I went to college for."

"Ok, be uppity then if you want. The broke, hungry, and homeless that you're going to be will go great with it."

Mercedes bit back a retort because she knew that Kurt was right. The pretty diploma that she was still paying for sure did look nice on her wall but it was worthless because she couldn't find a job in her field. She had been pulling double duty working as a receptionist at a doctor's office by day and a cashier at a convenience store at night to pay her bills. Four years after graduation she was still struggling to find her footing. A degree in business seemed like a good idea at the time but it quickly became apparent that when one out of every five graduates is a business major the jobs are going to get snapped up quickly. Unfortunately, Mercedes wasn't one of the lucky ones that got a job straight out of college so she has been hopping around from odd job to odd job for years trying to make ends meet. It was a cycle that she hated, but still got comfortable with. Now, that comfortable little bubble was being tested by a great opportunity that Mercedes was too afraid to go after.

"Fine Kurt, you're right I don't have any room to be uppity about this job offer. But…"

"But…?"

"I don't know if I'm ready for this. I don't know if I can do it."

"Girl, please. That's bullshit and you know it. So what if you've hit a wall with that worthless degree of yours and can't find actual work?"

"It's not worthless!" Mercedes snapped indignantly.

"Whatever. Look, you need a job. A job. As in one. This one pays great, it's a good company, you'll have benefits and I heard the brothers that own the company are a bunch of hunks!"

"Who'd you hear that from?"

"This guy I met down at the gym."

"Oh God." Mercedes rolled her eyes, "so basically what you're telling me is that I need to take job advice for some random dude you met at the gym?"

"Yes…or no, it's whatever. Like I said, if you want to be uppity about it then you can work your two jobs, barely make rent, eat ramen noodles every day and drink tap water for all I care."

Mercedes attempted to muffle her laughter at Kurt's miffed tone.

"Okay, Kurt I'm sorry. Thank you for your advice and be sure to thank your friend as well."

"Are you going to take it?"

"Yes. Yes, I think I am. I was lucky enough to have this job opportunity basically fall into my lap so I'd be a fool not to go for it."

Mercedes was not exaggerating about the job falling into her lap. She worked at an OB's office during the day and she was lucky enough to befriend one of their pregnant patients, Emma Pillsbury. The soft-spoken red head always came in with a smile on her face and she and Mercedes instantly hit it off. Mercedes would listen with apt fascination to all of the stories that Emma would tell her about her job as personal assistant to Sam Evans of Evans & Evans Advertising. Emma had originally been the PA to Sam's father John, but he tragically passed away from a massive heart attack. After his sudden death Sam was forced to take over as CEO and he along with his brother Stevie had been running the advertising company ever since. The way Emma talked about Sam and Stevie it was clear that she had a soft spot for both of them and over time Mercedes developed one for them as well.

As time progressed Emma's pregnancy proved to be a rough one. By the time she reached the 8th month she feared that the doctor was about to put her on bed rest and she was panicked over it. She had already been in the process of interviewing candidates to take over for her while on maternity leave but she hadn't met anyone that she trusted to take the reins and she was running out of time. Even though she had a soft spot for Sam she knew how he was and it was going to take a special person to handle him, which meant she had to be very careful about whom she hired. It wasn't until she saw Mercedes calm a panicked mother in the waiting room that she realized that the answer to her problem had been staring her in the face all along. The first time she suggested the job to Mercedes she laughed in her face. Emma was taken aback by Mercedes unwillingness to even consider the position but she didn't back down. After a little bit of pleading, a touch of bribery, and a big dose of guilt she got Mercedes to agree to go to the interview. Emma had all the faith in the world that Mercedes would be amazing at the job, and she even believed that she would be able to tame Sam…eventually.

As Mercedes took a quick look back at the events that led her to this situation she was quickly brought back to a reality by a shrill voice screaming her name.

"What is it Kurt?"

"I've been talking to you for like the last five minutes! Did you even hear anything I said?"

"Yes, of course," Mercedes lied, "I was listening to everything you said."

"So you agree?"

"Um…yes?"

"Good, then I'll be there in an hour. We gotta get you lookin' good for your interview tomorrow!"

"Kurt, wait…"

Mercedes sighed as the sound of a click was the only answer she got back. She still wasn't sure about this new job but she realized it was mostly from fear. Even though she wasn't happy with the way her life was going it was still comfortable but she realized that sometimes being too comfortable can be just as destructive as having no direction at all. She was never going to have anything working two jobs and still only making ends meet. She wanted to travel and buy a house and set up a college fund for her future children one day but she couldn't do any of that in her current situation. She may not be 100% ready but she was in fake it until you make it mode and even if she was terrified no one would ever know it.

The next day shined clear and bright and Mercedes took it as a sign of great things to come. As she inspected herself once more in the mirror she reminded herself to send Kurt some flowers for the kick-ass ensemble he put together. Between the borderline indecent wrap dressed that hugged all of her curves and the sky high Louboutins that showed off her shapely legs Mercedes looked fierce and she felt it. Looking like a million bucks gave her that final boost of confidence she needed to go into that interview and own it! As Mercedes stood outside Evans & Evans she was impressed with the sleekness and sheer size of the building. After working in a stuffy doctor's office and a dingy convenience store Mercedes couldn't help but be impressed by the modern beauty.

After getting checked in by reception and then ushered up to the 110th floor the nerves that Mercedes had successfully beat down with her Louboutins started to come back with full force. As she sat inside a small lobby outside Mr. Evans office the nerves got the best of her and she stood up and begin to pace. It wasn't too long into her pacing before started to talk to herself.

"Come on Mercedes you can do this."

"Remember to breathe…just breathe"

"Firm handshake and make eye contact."

"Speak clearly and remember to-"

"Who in the hell are you talking to?"

Mercedes gasped and turned around quickly. She wanted to say something…needed to say something but her vocal cords were apparently not ready for the sight of the golden Adonis standing in front of her.

"Are you deaf?"

Mercedes blinked at the golden God standing in front of her. A part of her realized that she should probably be pissed off at his tone but currently her fierce, femme side was laid out next to her vocal cords.

"Do you understand English? I saw you talking to yourself earlier so obviously you can speak. Is there any particular reason why you refuse to do it now?"

Since Mercedes' ears survived the onslaught of the beauty of Brad Pitt's twin they were still functioning properly so they heard the sarcasm dripping from his voice.

"Excuse me?"

"Ah, what do you know, it does speak."

Mercedes could feel the tips of her ears getting hot. Maybe her ears weren't working correctly after all because she knew that he didn't just refer to her as an 'it'.

"Excuse me?"

"Oh great, so now you only know two words."

Mercedes could feel tears welling in her eyes. This whole exchange had taken less than a minute but she already felt humiliated. No job on earth was worth this.

"No, actually I know a few more. Fuck. You."

Mercedes whirled around, grabbed her purse, stalked to the elevator and pushed the button. Nothing happened. She pushed it again, and still nothing. Mercedes prayed to God, Jesus, the Holy Ghost, Mary, Joseph, the 12 disciples and the burning bush to come and save her from this seemingly never-ending humiliation.

"It's locked."

Mercedes so wanted to ignore him but she wanted off that floor even more and she didn't think ignoring him would help achieve that.

"What?"

"The elevator's locked. You can't go up or down unless I allow it."

Mercedes rolled her eyes at his use of the word 'allow' and she whirled back around asked,

"Well, would you be so kind as to allow me to leave?"

The blonde asshole smirked at her emphasis on his word and raised a challenging eyebrow.

"I thought you were here for an interview?"

"I'm no longer interested."

"And why not?"

"Because I don't want to work for an arrogant, rude, jackass like you."

His eyes widened at Mercedes outburst and he stepped forward until they were only a few feet apart.

"Allow me to introduce myself, I'm Sam Evans."

"Good for you Sam Evans, now will you unlock the elevator so I can leave?"

"No. You came up here to do something so why don't you finish it?"

"Did you not hear me before? I don't want to work for someone like you. You can keep this job and shove it up your ass for all I care."

"Fair enough, I was an ass to you. I deserve that."

Mercedes slowly started to clap her hands together.

"Wow, how magnanimous of you."

Sam laughed out loud at Mercedes' sarcastic remark.

"You know what, Emma was right about you."

"Well, the same can't be said about you."

Sam had the decency to look hurt by her remarks but the look was quickly replaced by a smug smirk.

"Look Ms. Jones if you want the job it's yours."

Mercedes gave an unladylike snort and just rolled her eyes at Sam.

"Just like that? You don't care anything about my credentials, or previous work history, or what I can bring to the current position?"

Sam shrugged, "Emma vouched for you so that's enough for me."

Mercedes stared up at Sam like he was crazy. It had only been about 3 minutes since this whole crazy situation had begun but it weirdly felt like a lifetime.

"Thank you for the offer Mr. Evans, but I think I'm going to have to pass. I don't think our personalities mesh well and it would be a waste of both our times to and try and pursue a work relationship."

As she spoke Sam crossed his arms across his chest and Mercedes try to ignore the sudden dryness in her mouth at the sight of his arm muscles bunching up under his suit jacket.

Once Mercedes quit ogling Sam's arms she turned on her heel again and made her way towards to door that she knew led to the stairwell. She wondered how many floors she would have to go down before she came across an elevator that wasn't controlled by Mr. Sam "Allow" Evans.

"I'll double whatever salary Ms. Pillsbury promised you."

That stopped Mercedes in her tracks. The salary that Emma had already offered her was astronomical compared to what she currently brought home so the idea of making twice that was almost more than Mercedes could fathom. There was something about Sam that made Mercedes want to slap that smug grin of his face but if Emma had such glowing words for him he couldn't be that bad all the time…right? Mercedes knew she was grasping at whatever straw she could to justify taking the job but she didn't care at this point. The idea of not living paycheck to paycheck was just too good to pass up. The offer was unlike anything she'd ever imagined and it could be any better unless…

"Double the salary AND the paid vacation time and I'll accept."

Sam let out a low whistle before giving Mercedes an incredulous look.

"You drive a hard bargain Miss Jones."

"If you want me then you'll accept my terms."

Sam moved a couple steps forward and let his eyes rake from the top of her head to the soles of her feet and back up again.

"I definitely want you…"

Mercedes ignored the obvious sexual innuendo even though it sent tingles up her spine and stared up at him unblinkingly.

"Do we have a deal, Mr. Evans or not."

Sam stared down at her for a moment before finally reaching out his hand.

"Deal."

Mercedes could barely contain her grin as she reached forward and grabbed Sam's hand. As soon as she slid her hand into his she had to force herself not to jerk away at the sudden electricity that raced up her arm. She gently pulled her hand away from his and rubbed it self-consciously against her thigh, despite the absence of his hand the tingle was still there. Mercedes glanced up at Sam to see his response but he looked troubled and confused as he ran his hand through his hair. Mercedes decided that some things were better left unsaid and she headed back towards the elevator.

"Are you going to let me go this time?"

Sam stared at her slightly dazed for a second before blinking his eye rapidly and smiling sheepishly at her.

"Sorry about that, I'll take care of it."

He walked over to the elevator and slid a card into a slot above the up and down arrows. The elevator lit up and when Sam pushed the down button the doors slid open. Mercedes walked in and she turned around with every intention of giving Sam a polite farewell, but before she could open her mouth she heard,

"Be here by 7:30 Monday morning and not a minute later. I like my coffee with 2 sugars and 1 cream, and I want it hot. You had better have all of your paperwork completed with HR by the Friday before because I don't you wasting my time by trying to complete Monday."

Mercedes mouth gaped open at Sam's sudden change in demeanor.

"Is there anything else, Mr. Evans?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact there is, from now on try not to wear such revealing outfits to work. This is a professional office, Ms. Jones."

The rage that Mercedes thought she had under control came boiling back to the surface,

"There is nothing wrong with my outfit!"

Mercedes opened her mouth to say more but it was in vain because Sam pushed a button and the doors slid closed in her face. Mercedes took a deep breath and leaned her forehead against the cool metal of the elevator door as she tried to beat back some of her anger. She could do this job, she knew could but would she be able to work with Sam Evans?

Only time would tell.


	3. The CEO

"Wait…come again? What the hell is this?"

"Sam calm down, you knew that I was having a baby."

"Yeah, in like three months. Why are you leaving now?"

"Because this pregnancy was harder on me than I thought it would be and between Will and my doctor, bed rest is an inevitability, not an option."

Sam looks around Emma's office, and does some quick calculations in his head.

"Well if we push the desk up against that far wall and turn those atrocious plants of yours into mulch we should have plenty of room to slide a bed in here."

Emma stared at Sam as if he grown two heads. If this had been anybody else she would assume they were joking but this was Sam. If she gave him even the slightest hint that she would be okay with his crazy plan her office would be turned into a bedroom before the work day was over.

"Sam! I am not going on bed rest in my office, that's just ridiculous."

"Well, what in the hell am I supposed to do?"

"What you're supposed to do is look at that file I gave you and pick out your favorite candidates so that I can interview them for this position."

"Oh, is that with this is for?"

"Yes, now if you'll just go through there and pick your top 5 I'll start the interview process immediate-Sam! What the hell are you doing?"

"What does it look like I'm doing?"

Emma marched over to Sam and snatched the file out of his hand before he could send it through the shredder that it was hanging precariously over.

"It looks like you're being a brat. Look, I get that this is all very sudden and it wasn't what we planned but this is my reality now. I love you and I love this company but I will not put my baby's health at risk over it. I've spent the last few weeks pouring over applications and resumes and I think I found a group of very well-qualified people. There should be at least one person that can live up to your impossibly high standards."

"There is, and I'm staring at her."

Emma blushed slightly at the praise but she knew a deflection when she saw one and she wasn't about to be deterred.

"How about this, I'll pick the one that I think will work best and then I'll do all the interviewing and background checks, etc. All you'll have to do is meet the person and if you like them then give them the position and if not then pass. But be fair, I know this isn't what you want but you need someone here and for right now it can't be me. I'll do my part and get you the absolute best candidate, if you do your part and give them a chance. Do we have a deal?"

Sam looked at Emma's small outstretched hand and he seriously considered refusing for a second. This was not how it was supposed to be. Emma was supposed to stay right up until she gave birth (he already had a cleaning crew on the ready for when her water broke at the office) and then 8 to 10 weeks for maternity leave, but that was it. He had already made his peace with the fact that he would suffer through whatever imbeciles the temp office sent but he was okay with it because he figured it would all be temporary. Now, he wasn't so sure. Even though Emma kept telling him that this was all temporary he still had a sinking feeling in his gut that it wouldn't be. Personally, the idea of children made his skin crawl he couldn't help but be excited for Emma and her husband Will. They had tried for years and years to have kids and finally it happened for them. Regardless to the fact that it severely screwed with Sam's life he was still happy that Emma finally got her miracle. So despite the sudden realization that it was the beginning of the end of their working relationship he held his hand out to her.

"Deal."

Emma smiled widely and after a quick hand shake she wrapped her arms around his waist. Sam grimaced slightly at the sneak attack hug that Emma gave him. He wasn't an affectionate person by nature and he knew that Emma was well aware of that but she didn't care. Despite his natural inclination to step out of the hug he returned her embrace instead.

"I'm going to miss you Emma."

Emma fought back tears, she knew that he knew she wasn't coming back.

"I'm going to miss you too."

It had been two days since Sam had made the biggest mistake of his life but there was no taking it back now. A deal was a deal so he would suck it up and meet whatever idiot Emma deemed most qualified to waste his time. Sam would do his part and he would hire whatever person came through that door but that was where his promise officially ended. He didn't suffer fools lightly and he had no doubt that whatever fool walked through his door would be walking right back out of it and towards the unemployment office soon enough.

Sam closed his eyes and rubbed his temples trying to thwart the raging migraine that was starting to bloom. He didn't need this stress right now, losing Emma was a far bigger blow than he wanted to admit. She put up with his crazy moods and she kept his life organized, they had a system and it worked. Why did she have to go and mess it up? Damn, he hated Will Schuester. That curly-haired bastard was always ruining shit.

Sam continued rubbing his head and praying that his headache would go away when suddenly the phone started ringing loudly in his ear. He groaned loudly and continued rubbing his temples harder as he waited for Emma to pick up the phone. After about the fifth ring he remembered that Emma was out and he would have to answer his own phone and the thought of that enraged him.

"WHAT?"

"Damn, bro did I catch you at a bad time?"

"What the fuck do you want, Stevie?"

"I just called to say I love you…what the fuck do you think I want? I was supposed to have the minutes from yesterday's meeting on my desk but they're nowhere to be found. What the hell is going on? Emma always has the minutes on my desk first thing, and she always answers the phone when I call. Where is she? Did something happen with the baby?"

"Emma quit."

"And…?"

"And that means that obviously she's not here anymore."

"What did you do?"

"What did I do? Why do you automatically assume that I had something to do with her quitting?"

"Because you're an asshole, that's why."

"Look, she thinks that she is going to be put on bed rest soon so she found a personal assistant to take her place."

"Oh, well okay then it's a temporary thing until after she's had the baby, right?"

"She says it is, but I know it isn't. She isn't coming back after she's had her baby."

Stevie felt a twinge of sadness at the thought of not seeing Emma's face every day. She had been with the company for over 10 years and she had been a saving grace for both he and Sam when their dad suddenly died. He would miss having her around, she was a sweet and caring woman and she somehow kept Sam in line.

"Oh no…"

"What, Stevie? Spit it out."

"I think I have some vacation time coming up that I need to use."

"How can you possibly have any time left, didn't you just get back from Cabo a week ago?"

"Fine, forget vacation time I think I feel a cold coming on…"

"Stevie, I don't have time to play bullshit games with you, what the hell are you talking about?"

"With Emma gone who's going to be around to keep your life in order and make sure you don't kill anyone? Who's going to call and smooth out all the ruffled feathers you create with your charming wit? Who's going to have an apology on paper ready to be sent out for the inevitable moment when you stick your foot in your mouth and say something offensive? Who's going to be here to save you from yourself?

Sam rolled his eyes at Stevie's dramatic statement. He knew he had his moments but he wasn't that bad and even though he deeply felt Emma's absence he knew that he would find his footing again. Now whether that was with the applicant that Emma chose or someone else down the line remained to be seen.

"Whatever Stevie, if you're doing acting like a drama queen get the hell off my phone. I have a meeting with this person Emma chose in 15 minutes."

"I would ask you to tell me how it goes but I'm sure I'll hear the hysterical wailing soon enough. Bye brother dear."

"Bye, bitch."

Sam hung up the phone to the sound of Stevie's laughter and started rubbing his temples again. He really, really, really didn't feel like messing with this PA bullshit today. He wished he had a magic wand so he could create and exact replica of Emma only without the will or desire to have children. Why was life never that easy?

After about 10 minutes of desperately trying to rub his headache away Sam finally gave up. He knew that he could easily pop a couple of Tylenol and be done with the pain but he remembered that popping a couple of pills here and there is what led his father down the tragic path that ended his life. Sam knew that a Tylenol and an Oxycontin were nowhere near the same thing but a pill was a pill to Sam. He shook the unpleasant thoughts of his dad's death away just as he received a call from the downstairs receptionist telling him that Emma's replacement was on her way up. The receptionist told him the name but all he caught was Jones. A few seconds later he heard the soft ding of the elevator in the lobby followed by the soft padding of someone's feet. Sam buried his face in his hands for a minute and tried to ignore the blinding pain shooting through his head. After the worst of it had seemed to pass Sam finally stood up and made his way to the lobby. He was not prepared for what he saw.

Ever since Emma had told him that she was finding him a new replacement his mind had went to two options. Either someone who was just like her or an older woman in her 50s, what he got was nothing like what he'd expected. The woman in front of him was stunning, even though she appeared to be a bit crazy as she talked rapidly to herself as she paced back and forth in the lobby. While the woman continued to be entranced by whatever conversation she was having with herself, Sam took the time to study her unnoticed. She had smooth chocolate brown skin that seemed to shimmer under the fluorescent lighting. The black dress she wore hugged every curve that she had and Sam had an instant vision of untying the bow at her side and watching as dress fell open to reveal what was underneath. Next, his eyes traveled down past her shapely legs to her feet which were currently encased in a pair of come-fuck-me heels with red bottoms. Once again a vision flashed in his mind of her but this time she laid out on his desk with her dress open and the red bottoms of her shoes pointed at the celling. The tightening of his pants brought Sam abruptly out of his fantasy. Sam couldn't remember the last time he got hard by just the idea of someone and just thinking about it made him irrationally angry. He knew he made Emma a promise, but she was just going to have to find someone else because this wasn't going to work for him. Above all else Sam Evans loved being in control and anything that threatened that had to be immediately dealt with. He didn't know this woman and he didn't want to know her. All he knew was that he needed to get out of his office and he knew exactly how to do it.

"Who in the hell are you talking to?"

Sam watched as the Jones woman whirled around in shock and she looked up at him with wide brown eyes. Sam ignored the weird tightening feeling in his chest and he tried to keep up his stern expression. When the woman didn't immediately answer he began to get frustrated.

"Are you deaf?"

The woman continue to stare up at him which did nothing but make Sam more and more pissed off.

"Do you understand English? I saw you talking to yourself earlier so obviously you can speak. Is there any particular reason way you refuse to do it now?"

Even as the words were leaving Sam's mouth he knew they were hateful and rude but they wouldn't stop coming out. They seemed to do the trick, at first because the woman looked wounded by then it was like a spark was ignited within her.

"Excuse me?"

"Ah, what do you know, it does speak."

If Sam that the spark that the woman exhibited before was impressive it was nothing compared to the flames that were literally beginning to burn behind her eyes.

"Excuse me?"

"Oh great, so now you only know two words."

Sam was an asshole and he knew and happily embraced it but there was something about seeing the tears start to pool in the woman's eyes that made him realize that being an asshole wasn't something to be proud of. He saw the woman shake her head slightly as if to her steel herself and then she said,

"No, actually I know a few more. Fuck. You."

She whirled around, gathered her things and headed for the elevator. There was a part of Sam that knew he should be happy that he was getting what he wanted but all he felt was a small bubble of panic start to build in his chest. He knew if the woman walked out the door that would be it, she would never come back no matter what he or Emma said. He didn't know why it was suddenly so important to get her to stay but he knew that he had to do some serious damage control to make it happen.

"It's locked."

The woman didn't turn around as she asked him what he was talking about.

"The elevator's locked. You can't go up or down unless I allow it."

Even though all he could see was the back of her head he could still practically feel her rolling her eyes at his comment. She whirled back around to face him and asked him sarcastically,

"Well, would you be so kind as to allow me to leave?"

Sam smirked at her sassy response and gave an inward sigh of relief that the tears seemed to be no more.

"I thought you were here for an interview?"

"I'm no longer interested."

Sam knew she wouldn't be after his earlier behavior but hearing it was still like a punch to the gut, but he refused to show it.

"And why not?"

"Because I don't want to work for an arrogant, rude, jackass like you."

Sam's eye widened at her remark. Not many people were that candid with him and even though the woman had insulted him straight to his face her honesty was refreshing. Sam decided that in order to get her to stay he was going to have to drop the asshole routine for a minute and turn up the charm.

"Allow me to introduce myself, I'm Sam Evans."

Sam hoped that by introducing himself it would force the woman to give him her first name but as he was quickly finding out she didn't act the way he expected her to.

"Good for you Sam Evans, now will you unlock the elevator so I can leave?"

"No. You came up here to do something so why don't you finish it."

Sam knew that if the woman were some shrinking violet she would have already been on her way down the elevator sobbing her eyes out. Instead, she was strong and feisty and although Sam may have hurt her feelings earlier he was nowhere close to breaking her down.

"Did you not hear me before? I don't want to work for someone like you. You can keep this job and shove it up your ass for all I care."

"Fair enough, I was an ass to you. I deserve that."

Sam watched in amused silence as she started a slow clap for him.

"Wow, how magnanimous of you."

Sam couldn't control his laughter anymore. This woman could clearly give as good as she got. Sam ignored the sudden tightening of his pants again as that train of thought quickly descended into the gutter. Sam tried to think of something that would get his mind on track and the first thing that popped into his head was Emma.

"You know what, Emma was right about you."

"Well, the same can't be said about you."

Though Sam would never admit it the idea that he may not have lived up to the person that Emma made him out to be hurt his feelings for a second but he quickly covered it up with a smug smirk.

"Look, Miss Jones if you want the job it's yours."

"Just like that? You don't care anything about my credentials, or previous work history, or what I can bring to the current position?"

Sam trusted that Emma had taken care of it so in all honesty he wasn't worried about it.

"Emma vouched for you so that's enough for me."

Sam waited patiently as he watched a variety of emotion pass over the woman's face. He knew the position was an excellent one, but at the same time he could see her weighing whether or not a great opportunity would be worth working with an asshole like him.

"Thank you for the offer Mr. Evans, but I think I'm going to have to pass. I don't think our personalities mesh well and it would be a waste of both of our time to try and pursue a work relationship."

That bubble of panic started to build in Sam's chest again and he crossed his arms in an effort to make it dissipate. He could feel her eyes on him before she abruptly spun on her heel and headed back towards the elevator. Before Sam could question the wisdom of his decision he blurted out,

"I'll double whatever salary Ms. Pillsbury promised you."

He watched as she stopped dead in her tracks and he prayed that it was enough. Even though her back was still to him he could see the wheels turning in her head and he couldn't help but wonder if they were working in his favor.

"Double the salary AND the paid vacation and I'll accept."

Sam let out a low whistle and gave her a look. Maybe he underestimated her?

"You drive a hard bargain Miss Jones."

"If you want me then you'll accept my terms."

Sam clenched his jaw tightly at her words. He knew that she wasn't hinting at anything sexual when she said that but since he had apparently taken up residence in the gutter since meeting her that is where his mind automatically went. Sam let his eyes rake over her from head to toe before saying,

"I definitely want you…"

He let that sexual innuendo hang in the air and he watched as she gave a slight shudder that she couldn't hide. To her credit whatever she may have felt at his words she brushed quickly aside and went right back to business.

"Do we have a deal Mr. Evans, or not?"

Sam stared down at her hand and wondered briefly if he were making a mistake. He like being in control and he had a feeling that he was going to lose a lot of that with her around. Sam didn't know if he would come to regret this later or not, he just knew that right now he couldn't imagine letting her walk out of that door.

"Deal."

Sam smiled slightly at the big, beautiful grin that took over her face. She could light up all of NYC with a smile like that. As the brought their hands together to seal the deal Sam felt a sharp zing go up his arm when his hands came in contact with hers. She pulled her hand away quickly and wiped it on the side of her dress as Sam tried to figure out what in the hell had just happened.

"Are you going to let me go this time?"

Ms. Jones' voice brought him out of his reverie and he smiled sheepishly at the idea that he had basically been holding her hostage this whole time.

"Sorry about that, I'll take care of it."

As Sam walked toward the elevator to put his key card he began to chastise himself for acting like a little schoolboy around this woman. He was the boss, not her and if they were going to have any type of normal working relationship balance had to be restored and they both needed to remember their places.

"Be here by 7:30 Monday morning and not a minute later. I like my coffee with 2 sugars and 1 cream, and I want it hot. You had better have all of your paperwork completed with HR by the Friday before because I don't want you wasting my time by trying to complete Monday."

Sam cringed a little inside at the harsh tone of his voice but he needed to make things clear to Ms. Jones. He watched as she stared at him wide-eyed after his little outburst but then she quickly recovered as asked,

"Is there anything else, Mr. Evans?"

Sam tried desperately to ignore the sultry tone of her voice and instead focused on her attire. If he was going to be able to concentrate around her she couldn't be dressed like she was today.

"Yes, as a matter of fact there is, from now on try not to wear such revealing outfits to work. This is a professional office, Ms. Jones."

He smirked and pushed the down button on the elevator. He watched in amusement as her scream of outrage was silenced by the elevator sliding closed in her face.

Sam took his cellphone out of his pocket and sent a quick text to Emma asking her what Ms. Jones' first name was. A few seconds later he received a response. He couldn't contain his smile at what he saw on his screen.

Mercedes Jones.

"Well, Miss Mercedes Jones," Sam whispered softly to himself, "let the games begin…"


	4. The Assistant

She hated him.

Mercedes had been working for Sam Evans for two weeks and she was ready to kill him. She had already worked out what she considered an almost fool-proof plan. Once she figured how to properly dispose of the body and came up with a good alibi she would be good to go.

"MERCEDES GET IN HERE NOW!"

Fuck an alibi, she was doing this shit today.

Mercedes gritted her teeth and counted backwards from 10 before slowly getting up and heading towards Mr. Evans office. Right before she got to the door she made sure to smooth down her pencil skirt and flick open the two top buttons of her blouse. After Mr. Evan's rude insistence that she change her look she found the frumpiest, dowdiest pants suit she could find and wore it on her first day. His look of smug approval pissed Mercedes off so much that she vowed that the frumpy look would only be a temporary thing. She had slowly been phasing out the dowdy look for a sexier one. Every day the shirts would be a little bit tighter, the skirts would be shorter, and the heels would be higher. She didn't think Mr. Evans had noticed because most of their interactions had consisted of her sitting at her desk while he barked orders at her from the intercom. Well, he was going to notice today. With the help of Kurt she had managed to re-vamp her entire wardrobe into what Kurt like to call her, 'Hot Assistant Bitch in Charge' look or HABIC for short. Today it was a skin tight leather pencil skirt that was borderline obscene in the way it hugged her curves and an equally tight white dress shirt. The two buttons she just popped open showed off an enticing bit of her cleavage along with the lacy edge of her red bra. Mercedes knew her outfit was a bit on the unprofessional side but she didn't really care at that moment. She had been putting up with Mr. Evans bullshit non-stop for the last two weeks and she was fed up. The money may be good but it wouldn't mean shit if it were all going to pay for all the blood pressure medicine she was going to end up needing. This man was bad for her health so she was about to be a little bit bad for his as well.

Mercedes reached Mr. Evans door and she rapped lightly on it, "May I come in?"

"Yes."

When Mercedes walked in she found Mr. Evans leaning lightly against the front of his desk. Mercedes was so busy taking in the sleek cut of his black Armani suit that she missed the sight of his eyes widening as they took in her attire.

"Um...Ms. Jones...what...why...wh-"

Mercedes tried her best to hide her smirk.

"Mr. Evans are you okay? Do you need some water?"

Before he could answer Mercedes walked over to the water cooler in the corner of his office and bent over and grabbed a cup and filled up. When she straightened she could see in her peripheral Mr. Evans staring at her ass. Actually staring would be an understatement, he was studying her ass like it was a textbook and he had college finals to take the next day. The knowledge that her normally cold and steely boss was checking her out had her strutting her stuff a little bit as she walked back across the office. She smiled smugly as she watched him desperately try to focus on some distant point on the wall instead of on her. She made a mental note to call Kurt and congratulate him on an outfit well done. He told her that it would bring her asshole boss to his knees but she didn't believe him, however, in this case she would happily eat crow. Finally having the upper hand, small though it may be, felt damn good to Mercedes.

As she handed Mr. Evans his cup of water their fingers briefly brushed one another's and it was there again, that damn electricity. Mercedes gasped softly and pulled her hand back quickly and Mr. Evans did the same causing some water to slosh over the cup and land on his hands.

"Uh, I'm...I'm sorry about that..." Mercedes cursed herself for stammering like a little schoolgirl but that spark she had felt had unnerved her.

"It's fine, it's just water." Mr. Evans said sharply. "Why don't you have a seat so we can get this over with."

Mercedes breathed a sigh of relief. Even though Mr. Evans was right back to being his asshole self, that weird moment between them was over. Asshole Evans annoyed the hell out of her but it was still something she could deal with. That spark between them that didn't seem to be going away? Not so much.

Mercedes forced herself to get into work mode as she had a seat right in front of Mr. Evans. He watched her with steely green eyes as she crossed her legs and sat her pen and pad on top of them.

"I'm ready when you are."

"Fine. Try and keep up. I have potential clients coming in tomorrow at 8 for a meeting. I need for you to make sure conference room B is spotless and that there are 12 portfolios filled with all the necessary information. I also need for you to clear my schedule for the rest of the day I have an old college friend that's visiting, he should be here any minute."

Mercedes nodded as she jotted everything down. When she got done she repeated it back to make sure she didn't miss anything.

"Will that be all?"

"That's all the notes I need you to take, yes."

Confused, Mercedes looked up at Mr. Evans, she really didn't have time to play word games with him.

"Sooo...does that mean I can go?"

Sam said nothing so Mercedes took that as a yes and stood up and started to head towards the door.

"Don't wear that outfit here again."

Mercedes turned on her heel and glared up at her boss.

"What is wrong with what I have on?"

Mercedes knew that her outfit was probably a little bit sexier than it needed to be and she knew that part of the reason she wore it was to rile him up, but now that it had happened she was pissed off about it.

"Can you even breathe in that outfit?"

"I can breathe just fine, thank you very much!"

"Whatever, I explicitly told you to dress professionally and you did the exact opposite!"

"Well, you know what Mr. Evans if it bothers you so damn much you can just fire me."

Mercedes waited with bated breath. Even though she thought about killing her boss on an almost hourly basis she still loved her job and she would hate to lose it. However, at the same time she refused to be bullied by Mr. Evans over her choice of attire, especially when she knew it wasn't that bad.

"Don't tempt me, Miss Jones."

Mercedes scoffed at his empty threat and turned to head towards the door again but was stopped by the electric current that shot up her arm. She looked down to see Mr. Evans' strong, slightly tanned hand wrapped around her forearm. She knew that should probably be upset that her boss was grabbing her and she was almost positive that she had just won a lawsuit but both of those thoughts took a backseat to the feelings coursing through her body.

The man was just grabbing her arm and he wasn't even touching skin but she still felt like he was touching some intimate place on her body. She looked up at his face to see him staring down at his hand like he was confused at how it got there. Mercedes wanted him to look at her but the second he did it she wished he hadn't. Mercedes literally felt her insides turn to jelly under Mr. Evans' hot gaze and she wanted to get away from all of these feelings she wasn't prepared for and didn't want but she couldn't seem to make her legs move. Even as she felt him leaning closer and closer into her space she couldn't back away, in fact, if anything she was slowly inching towards him as well. When their bodies were finally touching it felt as if they were both ensnared in a net that they couldn't get free from. Mercedes held her breath as his face tipped closer and closer to hers...she didn't want this! But at the same time if she didn't feel his lips on hers soon she felt as if she would die. She was going to regret it, she knew she was but at that moment none of that mattered. As his pink lips descended towards hers Mercedes could feel his warm, sweet breath on her face. She closed her eyes and tipped her head back and she could feel just the slightest pressure of his lips on hers. She opened her mouth and-

"Mr. Evans? A Mr. Matt Rutherford is on his way up to see you."

Mercedes stumbled backwards as Mr. Evans jerked away from her suddenly. She barely had time to catch herself when there was a loud knocking on the door. She spun around to look at it before turning back around to look at Mr. Evans. He had his back to her and he was hunched over and clenching the edge of his desk. She wanted to say something but she couldn't find any words. How in the hell had this happened? How could she go from hating him one minute to practically melting into him in the next? Sure the man was attractive but he was also a Grade A asshole and Mercedes never thought of herself as someone who would just drop her panties at a pretty smile. Hell, she couldn't even blame it on a pretty smile because she could count on one hand the amount of times he had smiled at her. Was she a glutton for punishment? Or was the leather skirt to blame? Maybe she really couldn't breathe in it and she wasn't getting enough oxygen to her brain. Before Mercedes could ponder any further about her lack of shame when it came to her boss there came three more sharp raps at the door.

"Hey Sam, are you in there? It's me, Matt. Uh...the receptionist downstairs said that your assistant would let me in your office but I don't see Emma anywhere around."

Mercedes felt her face grow hot when she realized how her current situation would look like to someone else. She was supposed to be at her desk doing work but instead she was holed up with the boss in his office and ignoring visitors. She suddenly felt ashamed of her actions even though nothing had even happened. Although she knew it was highly unlikely Mercedes prayed that she didn't look like she got bent over the desk and fucked by her boss. On a basic common sense level she knew she looked fine but on a sub-conscious level she thought she looked as guilty as sin.

When Mercedes finally got to the door and pulled it open she was surprised with what she found. Matt Rutherford was quite the sight to behold. He had on a dark blue Gucci suit that complemented his milky brown skin very well. When he saw Mercedes for the first time his whistled low and raked his eyes up and down her body appreciatively. Mercedes knew she should probably be offended but the guy didn't come off as a creep and after getting such a hard time for Mr. Evans it was nice to get a compliment.

"Mr. Rutherford, I presume?"

"Yes, and you're not Emma."

Mercedes laughed, "No, I'm most definitely not her."

"Well, Not Emma are you going to tell me your name?"

"It's Mercedes Jones."

"Well, Ms. Jones...may I call you Mercedes?"

"Yes."

"Well, Mercedes it seems that my friend Sam over here has been holding out of me. Emma was a doll but you...you're a revelation."

Mercedes felt her face getting hot as Mr. Rutherford heaped on the praise. She had had her fair share of compliments in her day but this man was going above and beyond what was necessary. She still hadn't reached the point where she was uncomfortable so she just decided to accept the compliments for what they were and leave it at that.

"Thank you very much Mr. Rutherford for the compliment. Is there anything I can get for you?"

"Well first, you can stop calling me Mr. Rutherford, my name's Matt."

"She'll call you Mr. Rutherford."

Mercedes jumped slightly when she heard Sam's voice, she had almost forgotten about him being there. Matt merely raised his eyebrows at him and turned his attention back to Mercedes.

"Please, I insist that you call me Matt, Emma always did."

Hearing that Emma called him by his first name made it seem a bit ridiculous for her to keep calling him by his whole name, especially since he requested that she didn't. Surely Mr. Evans couldn't argue with that logic?

"Alright then...Matt. If there isn't anything else then I'm going to head back to my desk to start preparing for tomorrow's meeting."

Matt was still in the doorway and made no effort to move so Mercedes was forced to squeeze past him as he looked down at her with a small grin. She could have sworn she heard Mr. Evans make a weird strangled noise in the back of his throat and she wondered briefly if she should offer to get him more water. Deciding that escape was more important than his dry throat Mercedes ignored the need to ask if he needed anything and quickly scurried to her desk. Once she sat down she breathed a huge sigh of relief, being in that office was intense and she didn't realize how much until she was out of it. She could still feel the slight tingles from her encounter with Mr. Evans but she desperately tried to ignore them. What happened in that office was a mistake and it was mistake that could never, ever happen again. The attraction was there, she could feel it and she knew he could too but there was nothing they could do about it. She could barely stand Mr. Evans 99% of the time and that 1% when she wanted to rip his clothes off wasn't worth it. He wasn't good for her and she needed to pull her head out of her ass and realize that. She had heard gossip around the office about all the women that have come and gone out of the building. Women that came in with high hopes of a great career and gone out heartbroken because they were foolish enough to fall for Sam Evans. She wasn't going to be one of those women. She had an itch that needed to be scratched and she had no doubt that Sam Evans could scratch it like no other but she wasn't going to fall down that rabbit hole. She wasn't going to let lust and a little bit of electricity direct her path. That moment that they had in his office would be their last because Mercedes refused to lose a good opportunity such as this one for a quick roll in the hay.

Once Mercedes had made her mini vow to herself it freed her mind up to go back to work. She was just finishing up with a local bakery that would be delivering breakfast the next morning when Mr. Evans and Matt walked out of the office. Mercedes cursed the fact that she had just hung up the phone and couldn't pretend to look busy until the two men had left. She was in the process of shuffling some papers around when Matt said,

"Hey, Mercedes were headed out to lunch, would you like to come?"

It was hard to resist the bright smile Matt was giving her but she knew she would die from the tension if she went to lunch with these two men. She was just forming her mouth to give him a polite refusal when she heard,

"No, she can't come."

Matt looked surprised at Mr. Evans' tone which surprised Mercedes as well. She had seen him gruff, she had seen him curt, and she had seen him plain mean but she had never really seen him mad. She couldn't believe that Mr. Evans was that worked up about her joining them for lunch. Mercedes knew it shouldn't bother her but it did. She didn't want to go to lunch with them but knowing that he did want her to go either hurt her feelings.

"Uh, man it's not a big deal, besides she has to eat sometime right?"

"She can eat whenever she wants, just not with us."

Matt gave Mr. Evans a slightly disgusted look before turning back to Mercedes and saying,

"Well, I hate that you won't be joining us today but how about I take you out to lunch tomorrow instead? Just you and me?"

Mercedes initial reaction was to say no. Going on lunch dates with her boss' friend just seemed like one of those things that was going to end badly for everyone. Just as she was getting ready to let Matt down gently Mercedes happened to look over at Mr. Evans and she was shocked at what she saw. If she thought he looked angry before he looked downright murderous now and it was all directed towards her. A part of her wanted to crawl under her desk and hideaway but she was stronger than that. She didn't know what the hell was going on up in that pretty blonde head of his but she was done worrying about it. The idea of spending some time with someone of the opposite sex who wasn't Kurt and who seemed to be genuinely interested in her was too good of an opportunity to pass up. So what if he were her boss' friend? He was only going to be in town for a few days so she figured that not much damage could be done in that amount of time. They would just have a couple of lunch dates and maybe some dinner, and leave it at that. Mr. Evans would just have to pull the proverbial stick out his ass because he wasn't her daddy, boyfriend, or anything else that would give him the right to dictate who she spent her time with outside the workplace. Even as Mercedes recited this little 'you go girl' speech in her head there was still a small niggling part in the back of her mind that kept whispering, "you're just doing this to make him jealous..." Mercedes ignored that little annoying bitch and gave Matt a bright smile and said,

"I would love to."

Matt smiled back at her and told her he would call later to make arrangements. By this time Mr. Evans had stalked off and was at the elevators violently jabbing the buttons.

"Dude, are you trying to break it? Where's your card you know the elevator won't work without it."

Mercedes muffled her laughter as Mr. Evans glared daggers at Matt for pointing out the obvious. He pulled the keycard from his pocket and shoved it in the slot before violently stabbing the down button again. The doors swung open and both men climbed inside. Mercedes gave Matt a small wave but she stopped abruptly when she saw Mr. Evans' steely green eyes boring holes into her. After what seemed like forever the doors finally started to close and they quickly hid Matt from view but it almost seemed like they slowed down so that Mercedes could feel the heat from Mr. Evans gaze for a second longer. Even after the door was shut and the two men were long gone she could still feel his eyes on her. She rubbed her arms up and down as if that would help to make the tingles go away but she knew only time and distance would do that. Mercedes was so damn confused about what had just happened to her. She hated the way he made her feel. She hated that she could be so attracted to someone that treated her the way he did. She hated the fact that part of the reason she agreed to a lunch date with Matt was to make him jealous. She hated that she was losing control and she couldn't stop it. She hated him. Of course she hated him. How could she not hate him? A sharp tingle shot up her arm and she sighed and lowered her head to her desk.

She didn't hate him. Her body wouldn't let her.

What in the hell was she going to do?


	5. You Can't Have Her

He hated her.

Hiring Mercedes Jones was the worst idea that he had ever had. In the two weeks since she'd started he hadn't gotten a full night's sleep. He had taken so many cold showers he didn't even remember what a hot one felt like. She was slowly driving him insane and she didn't even realize it. He was tired and cranky and it was all her fault. How dare she bounce in every morning looking like a million bucks while he felt and looked like death? Every morning she would be at her desk and she would give him a sweet smile as he walked in. And every morning he would have to grit his teeth and hurry past her and pray that she didn't notice the sudden bulge in his pants that seemed to have a life of its own. The last time Sam couldn't control an erection he was a 14-year-old boy so it made him extra pissed off that this was an issue again 15 years later. Sam had his fair share of women in the past, so control was not something that he had to worry about...until now.

He could almost make his peace with his disturbing lack of control if Mercedes was actively trying to seduce him, but she wasn't! On her first day of work she wore the biggest, slouchiest, most unattractive pants suit that she could find and he was still more turned on than he could ever remember being. It didn't make any damn sense! Women fell all over him. They made fools out of themselves to get his attention. They had to work to make and keep him interested. That was the kind of women that Sam had surrounded himself around for years. He wasn't trying to settle down. He didn't want a wife, or a kid, or a house in the suburbs. He wanted a quick roll in the hay with a woman that knew to keep her mouth shut, enjoy the ride, and get the hell out the next morning without giving him any problems. That was all Mercedes was supposed to be. After their first meeting he knew that there was an attraction between them and he knew that she felt it too. He was well aware of the fact that she didn't like him all that much but it was fine because he didn't like her too much either. He didn't expect them to be friends so the liking part wasn't necessary. He just needed her spread eagle on the first available flat surface he could find, screaming his name.

When he first hired her he was sure that he would have her before the first week was up but he was dead wrong. The attraction was still there but also there was an icy wall that Mercedes apparently put up every time she stepped foot into the office. He wished he could say she was bitchy, or rude, or chilly because at least she would have been interesting, but instead what he got was Stepford Mercedes. She was polite and achingly, cavity-inducing sweet. In other words, faker than a two dollar bill. He had tried his hardest and been his meanest and most hateful self to illicit some type of reaction from her but all he got was polite, sweet Stepford Mercedes. It was driving him fucking crazy! Here he was twisting himself in knots on the inside while she looked right through him anytime their eyes met. It was fucking unacceptable and he wasn't having it any longer. He wanted to confront her but he didn't know how to go about it without looking like a psycho and getting slapped with a lawsuit in the process. He would need time to think of a plan but unfortunately it wouldn't be today. His old college buddy, Matt, was coming into town for only a few days and he wanted to catch up. He decided that taking the day off would not only give him a chance to spend time with Matt, but hopefully being away from the office and away from her would clear his mind a little bit.

If Emma had still been around this would have been the time he would have called her into the office to let her know to clear his schedule but the office was No Man's Land for Mercedes as far as he was concerned. His office was too small and too confined for the two of them to be in it alone together. Plus, he had already had multiple fantasies starring Mercedes and various pieces of his office furniture. He had imagined her bent over his desk, pressed up against his window, laid out on his couch...

Sam groaned loudly as felt his pants suddenly get tighter. He didn't have time for this shit! He started thinking about dead kittens, old women's dentures, babies, and finally Will's bad afro to get his little problem to go away. Once he was somewhat comfortable again he reached over to press the intercom to let Mercedes know his plans today when he happened to glance down and see a sticky note. It said: MEETING WITH SUGGS'S HOME DELIVERY SERVICE FRIDAY MORNING!

"SHIT!"

Sam had completely forgotten to make arrangements for tomorrows' meeting for a new ad campaign for the home delivery service. Sam glared angrily at the door, it was all her fault. He never forgot anything until she came along. If she wasn't busy occupying so much of his mind he would remember simple things like looking down on his desk every now and again so he could see a fucking sticky note that had been stuck there for days! Sam knew it was unreasonable to be mad at Mercedes for something that she had no control over but he was past the point of caring. If he could just fuck her and get it over with then she would be out of his mind just like all of the rest of them. The more Sam thought of his misfortune the madder he got, and the madder he got the less reasonable he became. He needed to yell and he knew exactly who he needed to yell at.

"MERCEDES GET IN HERE NOW!"

Sam got up out of his chair and walked around to the front of his desk. He knew it was a low move to stand over Mercedes while she sat down but he needed to wrest back some of the control that she had unknowingly taken from him. It was all a game to Sam and she was his pawn, it was about time he started remembering that. He was pulled out of his little asshole pep talk by three soft taps on his door.

"May I come in?"

Sam ignored the way his gut clenched when he heard her voice.

"Yes."

Sam had a harsh speech all prepared for Mercedes but words failed him as he lost all grip on the English language. What in the fuck was she wearing? Where the fuck was she going? And WHO in the fuck had seen her like this? Gone was Grandma's old pantsuit and in its place was some sex kitten/librarian hybrid that became the default outfit that Mercedes would wear in all of his upcoming fantasies.

Sam had a shitload of things he wanted to say to her but all he could manage to get out was, "Um...Miss Jones...what...why...wh-"

Sam felt like an imbecile but the words literally would not form. She looked amazing. She looked like a goddess. She looked like she wanted to be fucked every single day of the week and twice on Sunday. He was more than happy to oblige her but the neurons in his brain seemed to be fried and nothing was clicking the way he should. In that moment Sam realized that his quest to gain the upper hand over Mercedes just died a painful and fiery death. She won. Even without knowing the game, even without knowing what was to be lost or gained, she won. All it took was a tight white shirt, a leather skirt, and a hint of a bra and Sam was ready to fall to his knees and offer her everything he owned in exchange for just a taste. What the hell had happened to him? What kind of witchcraft did this woman possess to make him straight up lose his shit over her? He had encountered many women who could do the seduction thing in their sleep and he hadn't felt a thing but when Mercedes simply walked into a room he felt...he wasn't sure what he felt but it was new and different and he didn't like it.

Sam snapped back to attention when he heard her ask if he needed some water. He didn't but anything that got her out of his direct field of vision would be greatly appreciated at that point. He tried his best to keep his eyes forward but like a magnet they were drawn to Mercedes. He watched as she bent over and grabbed a cup and filled it water. The whole task took all of five seconds but it seemed as if time slowed down just so that Mercedes could put on a private show for him. The leather skirt that she had on should've have been illegal because it could be dangerous for someone's health, namely Sam's. He didn't think he had breathed since she walked in the room and he was starting to get light headed.

Just when he thought he was seriously going to pass out he was jolted right back to life by the zing he felt when Mercedes handed him the cup and their fingers brushed. What the hell was that? None of this was making sense to Sam and it was severely pissing him off. He heard Mercedes gasp softly and pull away and when did water sloshed on his hand. She quickly stammered out an apology. Normally, the idea of having her so frazzled would make Sam feel smug but since he was in the same boat it just made him even more pissed off instead. He snapped at her that it was just water and felt instantly bad but instead of apologizing he just changed the subject and asked if she were ready to get their little meeting over with.

After Mercedes got herself settled Sam quickly barked the instructions out to her. He needed her out of his office and he needed her out now. If he thought the way she looked was driving him crazy it had nothing on the way she smelled. He didn't quite know what her fragrance was but he wanted to make it his life's mission to find out. Whatever it was it was distinctly her and he knew it was a smell he would never forget. The second Sam started thinking about the way Mercedes smelled he knew he was in trouble. He listened to her repeat back what he said verbatim but he couldn't even allow himself to be impressed by her note-taking skills because all he could think about was how he needed her to get out his office NOW before he did something he would regret.

When she looked up at him imploringly and asked her if that was all he gave her a vague answer. She took that as a yes and stood to leave, when she did Sam got another look at her outfit and he saw red.

"Don't wear that outfit here again."

The words were out before he could stop them, but he didn't regret saying what he said. He actually thought he was doing her a favor because if she wore that outfit again or anything like it he wasn't going to be held responsible for what he did.

Sam watched as Mercedes whirled around and demanded to know what was wrong with what she had on. Sam bit back his initial response of, "Nothing, although it would look better on my floor." And instead said,

"Can you even breathe in that outfit?"

All though it was an asshole thing to say it was still a genuine concern. There is no possible way that anything could hug someone's body the way that skirt hugged Mercedes' and not be uncomfortable as hell.

"I can breathe just fine, thank you very much!"

Sam didn't believe a word she said but if she wanted to play it that way, then fine they would play.

"Whatever, I explicitly told you to dress professionally and you did the exact opposite!"

"Well, you know what Mr. Evans if it bothers you so damn much you can just fire me."

Sam quickly sucked in a breath. She did it again, without even trying or without even knowing the stakes she turned the tables on him. As crazy as she might make him he wasn't going to let her go. Not only was she an excellent employee but there was something between them that he needed in his life. She drove him batshit crazy, and he knew keeping her around guaranteed even more cold showers but in comparison to the void that he felt whenever he thought of not having her around it was no contest. She wasn't going anywhere but he didn't want to let her know that outright.

"Don't tempt me, Miss Jones."

Sam heard Mercedes scoff lightly at his empty threat and he watched her turn to walk away from him, before he could stop himself he grabbed her arm. He knew that he had no right to be touching her but once he had her arm in his grip he couldn't seem to let go. He felt Mercedes watching him so he met her eyes and instantly wished he hadn't. They were too close and he couldn't think and when he couldn't think he made bad choices. Kissing her would be a bad choice. Peeling that ridiculously tight skirt down her body would be a bad choice. Laying her down on his desk would be a bad choice. Fucking her senseless until she was out of his system would be a really bad choice. Sam knew he was dead wrong and even though he could literally name all of the company policies he was about to break he still couldn't stop himself from leaning into Mercedes. He was so close he could practically taste her. Her full, plump lips where right there and he knew that God himself couldn't tear him away in that moment.

On the other hand, Mrs. Halbright from the first floor could.

"Mr. Evans? A Mr. Matt Rutherford is on his way up to see you?

Sam felt as if he had been dashed with cold water. He jerked back from Mercedes so fast that he saw her stumble back a few feet. As soon as he saw that she wasn't going to fall he turned his back to her and grabbed his desk. He couldn't look at her anymore, what in the hell was she doing to him?

Before he could delve too deeply into all the fucked up reasons why Mercedes now owned him he heard someone knocking at the door. Even though he knew it was Matt and more importantly it was a reprieve from Mercedes he didn't make a move to open the door. Whatever weird, super-charged sexual tension the two of them had between them was like a soap bubble at the moment. The smallest thing could pop it and Sam wanted to experience it for just a second longer. Unfortunately for him, his college buddy had different plans.

"Hey Sam, are you in there? It's me, Matt. Uh...the receptionist downstairs said that your assistant would let me in your office but I don't see Emma anywhere around."

The mention of Emma's name seemed to spark something in Mercedes and she came out of whatever trance she was in and rushed to open the door. Sam turned his head just in time to see his best friend trail his eyes up and down Mercedes' impressive form and give a long, slow whistle. Sam had never wanted to inflict bodily harm on another human being more than he wanted to in that moment. His blood pressure began to steadily climb as he watched Mercedes give Matt a flirty smile. Suddenly the two of them had some nauseating banter going on between them that made Sam want to fling himself out the window. Actually, no, it made him want to fling Matt's sorry ass out the window. When Sam heard Matt call Mercedes a revelation the urge to pick up the crystal paperweight that Emma had gotten him for Christmas and chunk it at Matt's head was overwhelming. What kind of weird twilight zone had he stepped into to? 30 seconds ago he and Mercedes were this close to possibly christening every flat surface in his office and now she was flirting with his best friend and acting like he didn't exist. Who did she think she was? If anybody was going to be ignoring someone it was going to be him.

As Sam stood by his desk and sulked he began to pay more attention to the conversation in front of him and he realized it was headed in a dangerous direction. It took years for Matt and Emma to get to the point where they used each other's first names and it was mostly because their interactions were always brief and only centered around work topics. The fact that 15 seconds into meeting her Matt wanted Mercedes to call him by his first name let Sam know that Matt had absolutely no intention of keeping things professional with Mercedes. When Matt told her to stop calling him Mr. Rutherford because his name was Matt, Sam knew he had to interject.

"She'll call you Mr. Rutherford."

Sam immediately cursed himself as soon as the words left his mouth because they came out a lot harsher than he wanted them to. He knew that Mercedes might not think much of it but he knew that Matt would be instantly suspicious of his motives. His assumption was proven correct when he looked at Matt and saw him raise his eyebrows at him knowingly. To further add to the reasons why he deserved to be tossed out the window Matt turned back to Mercedes and insisted that she call him Matt because Emma always did. Sam almost blurted out that Matt was full of bullshit but he refrained when Matt gave him a challenging look. He knew anything he said to Mercedes right now in front of Matt would be used against him and thrown back in his face later so he kept silent.

After Mercedes agreed to call him Matt she excused herself to go back to her desk. Sam gave a sigh of relief that quickly became a strangled gargle in his throat when he saw that Matt refused to move and Mercedes was forced to squeeze by him to get out of the door. Sam didn't miss the lustful look that Matt gave her as she brushed her body against his and he sure as hell didn't miss the sweet smile she shot to him in return.

Why didn't she ever smile at him like that?

Why did he care?

Why was his chest hurting all of a sudden?

Sam rubbed the sudden ache in his chest as he wondered briefly if he was having a heart attack from all the stress. He didn't even bother looking up when Matt closed the door and they were left alone in the room.

"So, have you fucked her yet?"

Sam's head shot up as he looked at Matt incredulously.

"What? Of course I haven't slept with her!"

Sam didn't mention that it wasn't from a lack of wanting to, but he didn't feel that was any of Matt's business.

"Baby girl has ass for days! I can't believe you haven't tapped that yet."

"She's my assistant and she's a damn good one, I don't want to lose her over some dumb shit."

"Okay, I can respect that. So...do you know if she's single or does she got a man? She must have somebody, right? I just can't see a woman that looks like that not belonging to someone."

She's mine...Sam pushed away that unwanted thought and instead focused on how he was going to deter Matt.

"Um, I think she may have someone. She talks to some guy named Kurt a lot."

Sam was well aware that Kurt was gay otherwise he would have been on his shit list right above Matt a long time ago because Mercedes did spend an enormous amount of time talking to him.

"Oh well...it was too good to be true I guess. So, where are we headed to for lunch?"

Satisfied that he wasn't going to have to kill his friend any longer Sam perked up and told Matt all about the new sushi restaurant that had opened up down the street that he had been dying to try. As they walked out the office Sam had every intention of making their way to the elevators quickly so that they would have little to no interaction with Mercedes at all. It seemed like an easy enough thing to do until he heard,

"Hey, Mercedes we're headed out to lunch, would you like to come?"

What in the actual fuck? Sam stopped in his tracks and turned to stare in disbelief at Matt. He guessed that fucker was going to have to go out the window after all.

"No, she can't come."

Once again Sam cringed inwardly at how gruff his voice sounded. He had to be setting all types of alarms off in Matt's head by now. If he got even the slightest hint that Sam was interested in Mercedes he would be all over her like white on rice. Matt and Sam had been in competition for women since college and Sam usually won so whenever Matt got the chance to beat him he went all in. Sam knew he should tread very lightly around Matt but it was damn near impossible when he was practically forcing himself on Mercedes.

"Uh, man it's not a big deal, besides she has to eat sometime, right."

Sam gritted his teeth in an effort to stop from lashing out at Matt and blowing his cover. That clever jackass had just painted him into a corner. He could either let Mercedes come and deal with Matt flirting with her for an hour or he could be an asshole and tell her she wasn't allowed to join them, either way he loses. As far as Sam was concerned he'd rather continue to be an asshole in Mercedes eyes than watch her get sucked into Matt's web.

"She can eat whenever she wants, just not with us."

Sam tried to ignore the flicker of hurt he saw cross Mercedes eyes. He hated Matt in that moment for putting him in that position but it had to be done. Now, he and Matt could enjoy a quick lunch, Matt could handle whatever business he had to get done and then he could take his ass back home. No harm, no foul. If Mercedes knew the kind of guy she was dealing with she would thank him profusely for helping her out. Satisfied that he had dodged a bullet Sam started to turn back towards the elevators when he heard something that made his blood run cold.

"Well, I hate that you won't be joining us today but how about I take you out to lunch tomorrow instead? Just you and me?

Game. Set. Match.

That motherfucker knew. He knew and now the competition was on for real.

Sam turned to look at Mercedes and he became enraged at the thought of her going out on a date with Matt. Just the thought of her spending time with him in a date setting, of her being with Matt in a way that had never been with Sam made his blood boil. Didn't she feel it? How could she go off and be with another man when they had this thing between them? Concentrating on anything other than her was damn near impossible so he couldn't date someone else if he wanted to. How could she? Was he wrong about all of this? Did he make it all up in his head? Is he really so fucked up that he created some phantom connection with his assistant?

Sam silently pleaded for Mercedes to say no. To give him some sort of a sign that what he was feeling wasn't imaginary. Her brown eyes met his green ones briefly and he tried to convey his silent plea.

It went unheard.

"I would love to."

Sam closed his eyes a searing pain blazed through his chest. When he opened them he had the misfortune of seeing Matt and Mercedes smiling sweetly at each other. He couldn't take it any longer, he had to get out of that cramped office. He had to get away from them with their sweet glances and flirty smiles. He had to get away from her before he screamed at her for not returning his feelings. He began to rapidly punch the down buttons until he heard Matt laughing behind him. After getting reminded about the key card that he apparently forgotten in his fit of rage, Sam shoved it in the key slot and finally got the results he was looking for. As they got in the elevator Sam shot Mercedes a death glare as he watched her timidly wave a Matt. She never waved at him. In the two weeks since she worked here she had never given him more than just a cursory nod when he left the office for the day.

As the doors slid closed Sam watched her until all he could see was his reflection staring back at him.

"Stay the fuck away from her."

Matt gave a slight smirk and turned and faced Sam.

"Well, it's about damn time. I was sure you were going to cave back in the office."

"This isn't a fucking game, Matt."

"Isn't it? She's just another notch on your belt, you know it and I know it. You only want her so bad because she hasn't given any up yet. The second you get some you are going to discard her like you do all the rest."

"You don't know what the fuck you're talking about."

"Oh no? Then what's so special about this one, huh? I'll admit she's got a little bit more junk in the trunk than you're used to but other than that, what is it?"

"I don't have to explain myself to you Matt. Just stay the fuck away from her. You're nothing but trouble when it comes to women and I don't want you messing with her head."

Matt began to laugh loudly.

"I'm trouble when it comes to women? Who did you think I learned it from? Every single dirty trick I know I learned from you. Maybe I should be protecting Mercedes from you."

At the idea of Mercedes being kept away from him Sam snapped. He grabbed Matt by his jacket lapels and slammed him against the wall.

"I'm only going to tell you this once more, stay away from Mercedes. It's not a request."

"Don't get me confused with one of your employees Sam, you can't tell me what the fuck to do. If I want to fuck your secretary...guess what I'm going to do?"

"Stay away from her. You can have anybody you want, just not her."

"Yeah, we'll see about that."

Sam loosened his grip on Matt's jacket just at ding was heard overhead and the elevator doors slid open. Both men regarded each other coolly before exiting the elevator into the parking garage.

"You know on second thought I'm not in the mood for sushi."

Sam stalked towards his black Range Rover without a backwards glance at Matt. That fucker could eat at McDonald's for all he cared.

Later on Sam would come to regret not looking back once more. Maybe if he had he would have seen Matt sneaking back onto the elevator that was headed straight for the 110th floor.


	6. Private Room Rendezvous

"He said what about my outfit?"

Mercedes sighed and pulled the phone away from her ear, there was only so much she could take of Kurt's head voice.

"He told me I looked like I couldn't breathe in it and not to wear it at the office anymore."

"Fuck him. I'll go down to the boutique on the corner right now and get you one exactly like it to wear tomorrow."

"Please don't, I've had enough drama today."

"Oh really, and what pray tell might that be?"

Just as Mercedes was preparing herself to give Kurt a play by play of that morning's events she heard the unmistakable ding of the elevator. Thinking it was Mr. Evans, Mercedes muttered a quick goodbye to Kurt and slammed the phone down. She grabbed a pen and stared down intently at a stack of papers and hoped she looked busy.

"Mercedes?"

Mercedes looked up and was surprised to see Matt standing in front of her. She looked back towards the elevators expecting Mr. Evans to walk out but he never came.

"Um, Sam went on to lunch without me. Some lady friend of his called while we were in the parking garage and he bailed on me. Crazy, huh?"

Mercedes struggled to ignore the sinking feeling she felt in her stomach. Why did she care if Mr. Evans dated or screwed around with other women? He didn't belong to her and he never would so he was free to do whatever he wanted.

"Oh, well I'm sorry to hear that. Did you need help with something? I could look up some local restaurants if you wanted to eat somewhere else..."

"Actually yeah, you could do something for me. How about we push up that lunch date to today?"

"Um..."

Mercedes was caught off guard by the request. Even though she had agreed to a lunch date with him almost as soon as the words had left her mouth she had regretted them. She knew that she was only doing it to make Mr. Evans jealous and in the moment it had seemed like a great idea. Now, that the moment had passed and she couldn't feel Mr. Evans hot gaze on her any longer the idea of a lunch date with Matt wasn't so appealing anymore.

"I'm sorry, but I don't think I can do today. I have a ton of work I need to get done for the meeting tomorrow."

Mercedes tried her best to look apologetic and hoped it would be enough to get him to back off.

"Aw, come on Mercedes," Matt pleaded, "Sam already dumped me, don't tell me you're going to dump me too. Besides he told me to ask you, you know, to make up for him being an ass earlier."

Mercedes immediately called bullshit in her mind on that one because she couldn't see Mr. Evans feeling the need to make up for anything he did. But just in case Hell had frozen over and he actually did she didn't want to take the chance of getting in trouble.

"Ok, fine. But I have to be back up here in an hour."

"Fair enough, let's go. There's this great sushi restaurant that I've been dying to try."

Mercedes threw her cell phone and keys into her purse and pulled the keycard for the elevator from her desk. As they headed towards the elevator Mercedes looked down at her blouse and saw that the top two buttons were still undone. She could feel her face growing hot when she realized that the edges of her bra had been showing the entire time!

Mercedes berated herself silently for being stupid enough to forget about buttoning her shirt back after her little encounter with Mr. Evans. No wonder Matt had spent most of his time talking to her chest, she may as well have put a sign on her breasts that said '"LOOK AT ME".

If she wasn't dreading this lunch date before then she certainly was now. She knew she wasn't about to sit across from his in a restaurant with half her shirt unbuttoned so she handed him the keycard and instructed him to unlock the elevator while she got something from her desk. When she got there she quickly buttoned her blouse back and then picked up a pencil and shoved it in her purse so that it wouldn't look like she lied. When she stepped into the elevator she saw Matt's eyes quickly flit down to her blouse and back up again. She smirked smugly to herself and thought, "No more free looks for you, perv."

The ride in the elevator was slightly uncomfortable but thankfully it was over quickly. Once they got down to the parking garage Mercedes headed straight for her car.

"Mercedes, I'm parked over here."

"Oh. Well, actually I was planning on just taking my car that way you wouldn't have to bring me all the way back over here when lunch was over."

"Really Mercedes, I insist. I have to come back over here anyway so it doesn't make sense to take two cars."

Mercedes swallowed back her irritation. She really didn't want to ride in a car with him but short of actually saying that she didn't have an actual excuse not to do it.

"Ok."

He waited until she was beside him again before walking over to his car. The sleek BMW was sexy as hell and some of Mercedes' earlier reservations melted away. If she had to put up with Matt's increasingly stifling presence at least she got to do it in something really nice.

The ride over to the restaurant went by surprisingly quickly and Mercedes was forever grateful. Matt was a complete gentleman and he rushed around to her side of the car to help her out. As he placed his hand on her lower back and gently ushered her inside she wondered briefly if she had misjudged him. She had been so wrapped up in some weird battle of wills with Mr. Evans that she almost felt like she had forgotten how to read people in a normal situation. She promised herself that for at least the rest of the lunch date she was going to put Sam Evans out of her mind and focus solely on Matt.

Once they were seated and had gotten their drink orders taken Mercedes sat back in her seat and begin to ask Matt some basic questions to get to know him better. At first she was totally into the conversation because despite a slightly weird vibe he gave off Matt was an incredibly charming guy. He didn't talk about himself too much so he didn't come off as cocky. He had a few funny anecdotes but he didn't tell joke after joke after joke. And any time she added something to the conversation he stopped talking and listened to what she had to say. All in all, he was a nice date. No epic spark, but she wasn't bored out of her mind either. By the time the appetizers had arrived Mercedes had finally felt comfortable enough with Matt to totally relax.

And then she felt it.

At first it was like a weird prickling feeling on the back of her neck, almost like someone was blowing on it. When she first felt it she grabbed her neck in surprise and looked behind her to see if someone was there. When she turned back around she met Matt's confused eyes. She assured him she was fine and she just got a little chill. It seemed like a plausible enough excuse to Mercedes.

But then she felt it again.

This time she felt as if all the hair on her body was standing on end. It was an exhilarating feeling but it was scaring the shit out of her because it was coming from nowhere. The only time she felt electricity like that was when...

Mercedes began to look around frantically again.

"Um, Mercedes, are you okay?"

Mercedes snapped her head back around to find Matt staring at her like she was crazy and she felt like a fool. Didn't he already say that Mr. Evans had met up with some lady friend? Odds were he was holed up with her at his penthouse, not here at some random sushi restaurant.

"Yeah...I'm sorry. I feel a little weird, will you excuse me for a second?"

Matt instantly looked concerned.

"Do you want to go home? Or do I need to take you to the hospital?"

"No, neither. I just need to go to the bathroom and splash my face with cold water or something. I'll be okay. Just stay here because I'm sure the food will be here soon. I'll be right back, I promise."

As soon as Mercedes stood up she felt it again but this time it was ten times more potent. The feeling was indescribable and it was making her jittery. As she weaved through the tables towards the ladies room she felt like she was being stalked. In a normal situation she would be scared and reaching for the mace in her purse but this time all she felt was excitement.

He was here and she could feel it.

As Mercedes rounded the corner to the bathrooms she felt herself get jerked back. From the tingles that shot straight up her arm she didn't even bother questioning who it was. She let him drag her into a secluded area of the restaurant that was closed to the public because it was used exclusively for private dinner parties.

Once they got in the room he shut the door behind him but he didn't turn on the light. Mercedes started to protest because she couldn't see anything but then he moved in front of her and pressed her back into the door. She may not be able to see him but she sure as hell could feel him. They were pressed together and the electricity that was shooting between them was almost unbearable. Mercedes prepared to open her mouth to beg him to do something, anything to make the ache go away but before she could speak she heard him harshly breathe out,

"What the fuck are you doing here?"

Mercedes stared up at him blankly even though she couldn't see him. At a time like this he wanted to question her about her choices of restaurant?

"Matt brought me. He said that you bailed on him to meet some woman and you told him to come take me out to lunch instead."

"WHAT?"

Mercedes gave a startled squeak when Sam suddenly pushed himself away from her and started pacing back and forth in front of her.

"That slimly, piece of shit...I can't believe that fucker played me like that...you just wait until I see him-"

"Mr. Evans?"

At the sound of Mercedes voice Mr. Evans stopped pacing and walked back towards her until their bodies were millimeters from touching.

"Listen to me, I never told Matt to take you out to lunch. In fact, I would NEVER tell Matt or any other man for that matter to do that. Also, I didn't bail on Matt to go on a date. I bailed on him because he's an asshole and I didn't want to spend time with him."

"I thought you two were friends?" Mercedes asked softly.

"We were, but if he keeps doing what he's doing that's going to be a thing of the past."

"I'm not trying to come between you and your friend."

"You're not...well you are but it's not your fault. Don't worry about it, ok?"

"Ok."

As that final word melted away into the vast silence of the room the electricity between them sparked back up and became like a living, breathing thing.

"Do you feel that?" Sam asked softly as he pressed his forehead against hers, "please tell me you feel that."

"Yes..."

The word had barely left Mercedes lips when she felt Sam's hand gently cup her cheek. His wide thumb gently brushed her cheek and it took everything in Mercedes to keep her legs from buckling.

"What the hell is this?"

Mercedes didn't know the answer to that and she told him so.

"I want to kiss you so bad, Mercedes. Can I kiss you?"

The question was so sweetly asked that even if Mercedes didn't want him to kiss her she would have said yes. She nodded her head gently but that didn't seem to be good enough for Mr. Evans.

"Say it."

"Yes."

"Yes, what?"

Mercedes was getting so impatient at this point that she wanted to scream in frustration.

"Yes, Mr. Evans you can kiss me."

"No, say my real name. Please."

Mercedes paused for a second before breathing out, "Sam..."

Hearing his name come of out her mouth seemed to ignite some type of spark within Sam. Where before everything was soft and slow it suddenly became hot and fast and rough. He pushed her body back against the door as he leaned down and pressed his lips against hers. They both moaned at the instant contact and a second later Mercedes could feel Sam's tongue against her lips seeking entrance. She opened her mouth and was instantly overwhelmed by Sam's big body pressing into hers and his full, plump lips moving against her as his tongue battled with hers. After what seemed like an eternity they both pulled away to catch their breaths but it didn't stop their hands from roaming. Mercedes hands were clawing at Sam back while his hands were going back and forth between her breasts and her ass. Sam began to suck on Mercedes neck and she prayed to God that her weak legs wouldn't buckle. At some point Sam had managed to get enough buttons of her white buttons undone that he could uncover one of the cups of her red bra.

"Fuck" he breathed into her ear.

He yanked the left cup down before Mercedes could stop him and he bent over and grabbed her distended nipple with his lips. Mercedes was no virgin but she had never experienced anything like this in her life. The feeling of Sam's large lips sipping and tugging on her breast had Mercedes feeling as if she were about to pass out.

"Sam...Oh God...you've gotta...oh...oh...oh, please."

Mercedes felt him smile against her breast before lifted his head and asked,

"What do you want me to do baby?"

Mercedes was at a loss for words. She wasn't sure what she wanted him to do exactly but she knew she wanted the ache gone. She pulled his head back towards hers and began to take quick, sweet pecks at his lips. She thought he might find something like that childish but he smiled gently against her lips and returned her tiny kisses. Eventually that wasn't enough for either of them and the kisses started to get deeper and longer until they were both light-headed from lack of air.

Sam hands started wandering again and Mercedes could feel him start to tug her leather skirt up.

And he tugged.

And tugged.

And tugged some more.

The skirt wouldn't budge.

"What...?"

Mercedes knew she should be embarrassed but it was overridden by her amusement at Sam's confusion over why the dress wouldn't move.

"Is this damn thing welded on?"

Mercedes tried to stifle a giggle but it burst out anyway when Sam grabbed both sides of her skirt and tugged so hard that he lifted her off the floor.

Mercedes was laughing outright now at this point and even though Sam was clearly frustrated he joined in. After their light chuckles had finally subsided Sam rested he face in the crook of her neck.

"Now you see why I told you not to wear that damn skirt to the office."

Mercedes giggled quietly as she played with the damp hair at the back of his neck.

"I would promise not to wear it again but I look fucking fantastic in it."

Sam laughed and said, "That you most certainly do."

Even though they were resigned to the fact that Mercedes' wardrobe malfunction had effectively killed any down south action they were still content to just stand in each other's arms. Mercedes continued to run her fingers through the back of Sam's hair as he leisurely ran his large hands up and down her back. Mercedes laid her head on Sam's shoulder and hummed quietly as he ran his nose up and down her neck.

"What is that?"

"What?"

"That smell?"

Mercedes head snapped up and she was instantly embarrassed. Did she smell bad? She started to feel self-conscious until she heard him murmuring,

"Is it some type of flower...or is a fruit...I can't place it."

"Oh that? That's my soap. My friend Kurt knows this kooky hippie chick that makes and sells homemade soaps. She refuses to tell anyone what's in them so your guess is as good as mine."

"Hmmmm...Well, whatever it is you smell good enough to eat."

Mercedes' gut clenched at Sam's words she wanted nothing more than to start up round 2 but she had to get it back. She didn't know exactly how long she'd been gone but she knew it was a hell of a lot longer than she actually needed to simply go in the bathroom and splash water on her face. Even though she barely knew Matt she still didn't feel right leaving him sitting at the table like a fool. She pushed gently on Sam's chest until he backed up a little.

"I've got to go."

She could feel Sam stiffen at her words.

"Fine, let me pay my tab and we can go."

She knew he was deliberately misunderstanding what she meant and it pissed her off. She didn't want things to go back to the way they were between them but they would if he was determined to act like an asshole.

"I have to go back to my table. I've been gone too long and Matt's probably wondering where I'm at."

At the sound of Matt's name Sam stepped completely away from Mercedes. She could feel his arm brush against her for just a second as he reached past her and flicked on the light. She blinked rapidly as her eyes tried to adjust to the sudden brightness. When her vision cleared she focused on Sam. He was clearly very angry but he didn't seem as intimidating with his kiss swollen lips and mussed hair. Mercedes feared what she looked like because if Sam's hungry gaze was any indication she looked like she had been thoroughly fucked.

Mercedes started to run her hand sub-consciously through her hair when Sam reached forward and grabbed her hands to make her stop. He slowly tugged the bra cup up over her exposed breast and then he buttoned the six buttons that had come undone. When he was finished with her shirt he brought his thumb up and rubbed it against her lips and wiped away the remaining smeared lipstick. After he was done he took a step back and gave her a once over and judging by his expression he considered her decent enough to go back into the dining room.

Just as Mercedes was getting ready to thank him for being so understanding despite his feelings about the situation he had to open his mouth and ruin it.

"My car is in valet, I'll give you the ticket and you go straight there and wait. I will go get your belongings from Matt and give him your apologies. You are not to go back to that table. Do you understand?"

Mercedes stared at Sam in shock. How could he go from being sweet and attentive to being a cold, distant asshole just like that? Mercedes didn't know whether to be sad or mad. She was a fool to think a quick make-out session and some intimate moments were going to change Sam. He may be capable of little bursts of sweetness but it was obviously not something that could last. Sam Evans was clearly not built that way.

"No, Mr. Evans, I don't understand. I was invited to lunch and I accepted the invitation. I'm not just going to back out of that because you said so. You have no right to dictate who I spend my time with."

"Don't you see he's playing you? He doesn't care anything about you he's just doing it to get back at me."

Mercedes wasn't exactly hurt at the thought of Matt not being attracted to her because she wasn't attracted to him, but the idea of being played stung. Maybe Sam was right, his delivery sucked and he needed to learn real quick that she wasn't his property but if he was actually doing it to protect her then she could forgive him this once. Even though the lunch date with Matt hadn't been all bad she still got a creepy vibe from him and if what Sam said was true about being at the restaurant alone then Matt lied right to her face. Suddenly the idea of leaving his ass didn't seem like such a bad idea.

"Look, Sam maybe you're ri—"

RING! RING! RING!

Both Sam and Mercedes jumped at the loud offensive noise that was coming from Sam's pocket. Without looking at the screen he put it up to his ear and yelled, "WHAT?"

Because they were still standing so close to each other Mercedes could hear, albeit faintly, the person on the other end.

"Sam? It's me Quinn. Where the hell are you? I've been sitting at this table by myself for the last 15 minutes. Your food is getting cold."

Mercedes felt all the blood drain out of her face. How could she be so stupid? Matt was right Sam did come here with a date, which means that all the time he had been trying to convince her Matt was the liar it was actually him. She felt like such a fool. She had almost fallen for it. She had almost screwed over a semi-good guy because of her asshole boss. Mercedes felt tears of shame start to prick her eyes. The whole time Sam had been feeling her up in this room he had some other woman out in the dining area waiting on him. Mercedes knew that she did essentially the same thing but Matt wasn't her boyfriend or her date or even someone she was attracted to. He was just some guy she had just met that invited her to have a bite to eat.

Even though she knew what she did was wrong all she felt was a sting of guilt, but knowing that Sam did the same thing hurt. It hurt because she had let herself drift away on some fantasy where they could be together and the fact that he was trying to climb her tree while still clinging to a branch of another one made her feel sick. She couldn't believe she was stupid. She couldn't believe she was so easy. If her leather skirt would have been slightly more cooperative she would have had sex with Sam, no question. She was ready and willing and she didn't even think twice about the consequences. What in the hell was wrong with her?

Mercedes angrily swiped away her tears as she watched Sam mumble something into his phone. When he hung it up he stared down at her with pleading eyes,

"Please let me explain."

"No. It doesn't matter, what's done is done. It was a stupid mistake that won't happen again."

Mercedes was surprised at the monotone voice that she didn't recognize. It took a second for her to realize that it was coming from her.

"Don't do this Mercedes," Sam said angrily, "you need to listen to me, it's not what you think."

"NO! I don't need to do anything for you except do my job efficiently. I will continue to do that as long as you stay away from me."

"What the hell does that mean?"

"It means if you touch me again I'll quit."

"I'm not going to let you quit."

"You can't force me to stay."

"Fine, I won't touch you. But what if you touch me first?"

"Trust me, that's never going to happen."

"We'll see."

Sam's blasé' attitude towards her ultimatum pissed Mercedes off. She knew he didn't take her threat seriously and it worried her. She knew that at the slightest touch she would probably fold like a house of cards but she didn't want him to know that. If Sam knew how much power he had over her body he would play with her like he was ventriloquist and she was his dummy. She needed space and she needed time to think. Most importantly she needed to get the hell away from him.

"I still have a little bit of time left on my lunch break so I would like to enjoy it before I have back. Please, tell Quinn I said hello."

Sam's eyes narrowed at her last catty remark but he said nothing as she turned on her heel and exited the room.

As soon as the door shut behind Mercedes she took off towards the women's restroom. While in there she tried to repair the damage to her hair as best she could but it was obvious that someone had their hands all up in it. Her already large lips looked tripled their normal sized and her neck and cheeks had a reddish tint from where's Sam light stubble had rubbed up against them. Like she previously thought she looked like she had been thoroughly fucked. Mercedes didn't want to return to her table looking like that but she didn't have much of a choice because she was sure Matt was going to send a search party soon.

As she headed back to her table she could see Sam already there sharing words with Matt. It was clear that they were both pissed but they were trying to keep up appearances in the upscale restaurant. Mercedes was about five tables away when Sam's head popped up and he saw her coming. The angry look in his eyes stopped her in her tracks for a second but she quickly recovered and continued on. Whatever conversation he was having with Matt came to an abrupt close when she made it to the table.

"Are you okay Mercedes?"

Mercedes looked down at Matt who was still seated and instantly felt a rush of guilt come over her. He looked genuinely concerned about her well-being and she felt bad for treating him the way she did.

"Actually I don't feel so well. I was hoping you could take me home."

Sam's looked sharply at her and asked, "Home? I thought you were going back to the office to prepare for tomorrow's meeting?"

"I was but while I was in the restroom I realized that I just didn't feel up to being in an office today. Besides I got most of the stuff done already and anything that I haven't gotten yet I can do at home."

"You do look feverish, Mercedes," Matt said. He waved a waiter over to box up their food in to-go boxes.

"She looks fine to me." Sam growled.

"Well, you're not a doctor so you can't make that call now can you, friend?"

Mercedes had had enough of the petty bullshit and she was ready to go home. She wanted to put on a pair of old sweats, eat her sushi, and call Kurt to cry about what a fool she'd been.

"Look, Mr. Evans I promise that everything for the meeting will be taken care of and it will run smoothly. Can I please go home?"

Mercedes' eyes watched as Sam's right jaw muscles twitched. The effort it was taking him not to be his normal asshole self was apparently massive.

"Fine, Ms. Jones. You may have the rest of the day off."

Mercedes celebrated her mini victory in her mind even though she knew she would probably have to pay dearly for it one day.

By this time the over eager waiter had brought their food back and Matt quickly paid the bill and left a hefty tip.

"Are you ready to go home, beautiful?"

Mercedes didn't say a word but the death glare she threw Matt was enough to let him know that she recognized his little game and she wasn't impressed.

Sam stood there watching them both silently, the only movement coming from his body was the slow ticking of his jaw.

"I'll see you first thing tomorrow, sir."

Sam didn't even acknowledge Mercedes words because he was too busy staring Matt down.

"You remember what I said."

Matt smirked at his threat, "Yeah, you remember what I said too."

Sam spared her one more quick, scathing glance before he turned and walked away. Mercedes rolled her eyes at his rudeness and grabbed her box of food off the table and headed towards the door. Against her better judgment Mercedes looked back once more and she instantly wished she hadn't because there was Sam talking to some beautiful blonde woman. Apparently she was an accomplished comedian because whatever she was saying to Sam seemed to be hilarious given the way he was laughing. Even though Mercedes knew she had no right to be jealous she couldn't stop the feeling from arising.

"Oh look, Quinny is back in town."

Mercedes looked at Matt in confusion, "Quinny? Who's Quinny?"

"Quinn Fabray, Sam's college sweetheart. Man, I haven't seen her in years. If I didn't need to get you home I would go over and say hi."

Mercedes was going to tell Matt they could go over so he could say hi but selfishly she didn't want to be anywhere near that woman.

"You know, just between you and me I'm not surprised in the least that Sam went running when she called, he was crazy about her back in the day. Well, on second thought that's not completely true, I'm a little surprised."

"And why is that?" Mercedes asked even though she really didn't want to know.

"Because the last time that I saw Quinn was on her wedding day. More specifically the last place I saw her was at the altar telling her fiancé that she couldn't marry him."

"What does that have to with Sam?"

"He was the fiancé."


	7. When Your Past Comes Back to Haunt You

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Sam clenched his steering wheel as he slowly counted to 10 for the fifth time. He had been sitting in the parking garage for the last 10 minutes alternating between replaying the conversation with Matt in his head and counting to ten to let the subsequent rage subside. Who did that motherfucker think he was? Sam and Matt had always had a love/hate frenemy relationship that probably would have escalated into full-blown hatred years ago if it hadn't been for Matt being there for him when he needed someone the most. For a while Matt was all he had and even though Sam had a strong desire to push him off a cliff at the moment he would always appreciate Matt from saving him from himself all those years ago. However, that was then and this is now. Now, Sam didn't need saving but Matt was going to if he didn't stay the hell away from Mercedes.

"If I want to fuck your secretary…guess what I'm going to do?"

Just hearing Matt's mocking voice made Sam's blood boil all over again. He knew that Matt was serious, if he got it into his mind to sleep with Mercedes then he wouldn't stop until he got what he wanted. Normally, Sam wouldn't give a damn about what random chick Matt decided to screw but this wasn't some random chick. Just the idea of Matt's hands roaming all over Mercedes' delectably curvy body was enough to get Sam's blood pressure rising again.

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After getting done counting for the sixth time Sam laid his forehead against the steering wheel. This situation with Mercedes was driving him crazy. He had prided himself on not being weak emotionally when it came to women. He had made that mistake once in his life and it had almost broken him. Ever since then he had always kept himself emotionally distant from all the women in his life with the exception of Emma. That had been the plan with Mercedes but somewhere along that went to hell and he didn't even know when or how it happened. He had only known the woman for two weeks for god's sake! She had wormed her way under his skin and now he couldn't get her out and he wasn't entirely sure he wanted to. The whole thing was quickly turning into one big mess but it was a mess he was confident he could fix…as long as Matt stayed away. Matt was a wild card that Sam hadn't been anticipating and to be honest he was a little worried. Matt was handsome, made a good living for himself, and could charm the habit off a nun. Women fell for him all the time and only ended up heartbroken in the end. Sam knew he wasn't much better that Matt, in fact, he may have been worse but the idea of Mercedes getting the 'Matt Rutherford treatment' made Sam sick to his stomach. He knew he could chalk a big part of that up to good old-fashioned jealously but there was also a part of him that didn't want to see Mercedes get hurt. Hearing Matt refer to Mercedes as just another notch on his belt or as someone he would just discard bothered the hell out of him but he didn't want to delve into why too much. All he knew was that he needed to keep Mercedes the hell away from Matt. In fact, what he needed to do was get with Mercedes and tell her a few stories about his good friend Matt. He figured that by the time he got through with recounting old stories of Matt's womanizing ways she wouldn't even be able to look at him, much less let him touch her.

Pleased that he finally had a plan Sam decided to put it into motion right away. It had only been about 15 minutes since he left the office so he figured that Mercedes would still be there. He would go back upstairs, apologize for being an ass, and invite her out to lunch. With the amount of Horndog Matt stories he had in his arsenal he guessed he would have Mercedes thoroughly disgusted before the appetizer even arrived. Sam was just getting ready to step out of his car when his phone started to ring. He cursed under his breath before pulling it out of his pocket and looking at the caller ID. He didn't recognize the number so he considered not answering but curiosity got the best of him.

"Hello?"

"Um…hi….is this Sam?"

"Yes. Who is this?"

"It's me…it's…it's Quinn."

Sam sat in stunned silence for a moment, it had been so many years since he had heard that voice it was no wonder he didn't recognize it at first.

"Sam? Are you still there?"

"Yes…" Sam cleared his throat, "Yes I'm still here."

"I know it's been a long time, but I…how have you been?"

How had he been? That's all she had to say to him after almost 8 years?

"What do you want Quinn?"

Sam knew his voice was harsh but he couldn't find it in himself to feel sorry.

"I…I'm sorry. I shouldn't have called."

"No, you shouldn't have but you did so what do you want?"

There was silence on the other end of the phone.

"Well…what do you want?"

"This was a mistake…just forget that I eve—"

"Cut the bullshit Quinn, why did you call?"

"I'm pregnant!"

Sam felt all the air whoosh out of his lungs. A feeling of déjà vu fell over him as he was taken back to another time and another place where those same words by the same person shattered his universe.

"Sam…please say something."

"What do you want me to say? Congratulations? We haven't talked in almost 8 years and when we finally do the thing you want to tell me is that you're pregnant? Fuck you, Quinn."

"Wait! Don't hang up. I didn't tell you that to rub it in your face or remind you of…before. I called because I need your help."

Sam laughed bitterly, "Un-fucking-believable. Quinn Fabray you will never change will you? So what happened you were stupid enough to get knocked up by some dumb fuck again who doesn't have two nickels to rub together? Let me guess Daddy wasn't too happy about this bastard child either was he?

"I wouldn't know, Daddy died two years ago."

Sam felt genuinely sorry to hear that, Quinn's dad may have been a little too conservative and overtly religious for his taste but he was still a good man.

"I'm sorry to hear that Quinn."

"Thank you. Look, I didn't randomly call to ruin your day, I do need to talk to you about something but I'd rather do it in person, can we meet somewhere?"

"Uh, yeah there's a new sushi restaurant I had plans to go to today, we could just meet there. I'll text you the address."

"Okay…is it just sushi?"

"No, they have other stuff, why?"

"Pregnant women aren't really supposed to eat sushi."

"Oh, I didn't know that." Sam felt like an idiot, "We can go somewhere else."

"No it's fine, I'm sure I'll find something to eat. The sushi place sounds good."

Because Quinn's hotel wasn't too far away the made plans to meet at the restaurant in 10 minutes. As Sam was pulling out of the parking garage onto the busy street he felt a moment's regret that he wasn't able to take Mercedes out for lunch. He was curious to find out from Quinn what was so important that she couldn't tell him over the phone but he still would have preferred to be spending time with Mercedes.

Once he got to the restaurant he quickly got through the valet and was surprised to see Quinn waiting for him at the entrance. She looked almost the same except she had a fuller face and the long blonde hair that he remembered was gone in favor of a short chin-length bob. His eyes instantly fell to her stomach in search of a bump but she just laughed softly and told him it was too early for her to be showing. As the faced each other awkwardly neither one of them quite knew how to react. After what seemed like the longest 30 seconds ever they both decided that a quick hug would be the best course of action. After the semi-awkward embrace was over Sam escorted her inside the restaurant and they were quickly seated. As Quinn perused the menu Sam took the time to study her face. Years ago he thought she was the most beautiful thing in the world and he swore up and down that if the only thing he could see was her face for the rest of his life he would die a happy man. Now, he realized how foolish a sentiment that was. That pretty face hid a calculating and devious mind. That pretty face was a mask that hid the not-so pretty woman inside. Sam was going to give Quinn the opportunity to tell her story but he already had his defenses raised. He wasn't the young foolish man that he used to be that could be easily swayed by a pretty face and fake promises. For years other women had to pay for the damage she caused. Quinn Fabray was going to find out real quick that the Sam Evans that she used to know didn't exist any longer.

"May I take your drink order?"

Sam was brought back to reality by a young waiter standing over him.

"Oh yes, I'd like a Manhattan and the lady will have…" He glanced at Quinn.

"A water, thank you."

The waiter jotted down their drink order and then asked if they wanted appetizers. They both declined and ordered their entrées instead. Once the waiter was gone Quinn turned to Sam with raised eyebrows and said,

"It's a little early in the day for a Manhattan, isn't it?"

"I figured I needed some type of alcoholic beverage for this conversation."

"Touché'"

Sam sat back in his chair, crossed his arms, and gave Quinn a challenging look.

"I'm ready when you are."

Quinn started to fidget with the knife and fork in front of her. She opened her mouth several times like she was preparing to speak but no sound would come out. Sam was quickly becoming impatient but he didn't want to rush her so he busied him by looking around at the other diners. He was just getting ready to bring his focus back Quinn when his gaze passed over an African-American couple sitting in the corner. He wouldn't have paid them any attention if it hadn't been for that quick sizzle of electricity that passed through him when he saw them. At first he was confused because he only felt that type of spark when Mercedes…

"That son of a bitch!"

Quinn looked shocked at Sam's outburst but he didn't care. He couldn't believe his eyes. At first he had hoped…prayed that he was mistaken but there was no denying the electricity or that tight leather skirt. Sam stared holes into the back of Mercedes' head and he knew she felt him because she grabbed her neck before looking behind her. What in the hell was she doing here? And what was he doing with Matt? Sam groaned when the realization that he had left Matt standing in the parking lot right in front of the still open elevator that led to his office hit him. Why was he so fucking stupid? After the way he acted in the elevator he pretty much dared Matt to go after Mercedes, but he never thought he'd work that fast. Sam was sure that he would have had enough time to pour some poison in Mercedes' ear about Matt but instead it looked as if Matt was going to do it to him first. Sam needed to get Mercedes alone but short of walking over and snatching her out of her chair and storming out the restaurant he didn't know how to do it. Luckily for Sam, his sizzling connection with Mercedes took care of that problem for him. He knew she knew he was there and he knew she could feel him. As he watched her fidget around in her seat he knew she would only be able to handle it for so long before she had to get away from it and he was right. After rubbing her hands furiously up and down her arms, Mercedes excused herself and headed towards the bathrooms. As soon as she was out of her seat Sam jumped up as well and muttered a quick, "I have to go take care of some business," to a stunned Quinn before hurrying after Mercedes. As he was headed to the bathrooms he saw a sign for private rooms available for dinner parties only and a sly smile crept across his face. He quickened his pace and he caught Mercedes by the hand right before she reached the bathroom. His assumption that she realized he was at the restaurant was further proven correct by the fact that she didn't act surprised or attempt to fight him as he tugged her towards one of the private rooms.

Once there he pushed her gently inside the dark room and followed behind her. He quickly shut the door and then grabbed her and spun her around so that she was pressed against the door. He leaned into her and took a moment to just let himself feel her. Even though she was quite a bit shorter than him, even in heels it was like they fit each other perfectly. He leaned his forehead against hers and just allowed the strange, inexplicable electricity that flowed between them run its course. Sam could have easily stood there with her for hours, not moving an inch but he needed to know what the hell had happened to bring her there.

"What the fuck are you doing here?"

That came out harsher than Sam had intended but just thinking about her there with Matt was infuriating.

"Matt brought me. He said that you bailed on him to meet some woman and you told him to come take me out to lunch instead."

Sam saw red.

"WHAT?"

That lying, manipulative bastard! Sam ignored Mercedes' small squeak as he pushed himself away from her and started pacing back and forth.

"That slimly, piece of shit...I can't believe that fucker played me like that...you just wait until I see him-"

Sam was on the way to working himself into a frenzy but Mercedes' quiet, "Mr. Evans?" brought him back to reality. It was suddenly very important that he let her know that what said was untrue.

"Listen to me, I never told Matt to take you out to lunch. In fact, I would NEVER tell Matt or any other man for that matter to do that. Also, I didn't bail on Matt to go on a date. I bailed on him because he's an asshole and I didn't want to spend time with him."

After Sam finished talking he realized that he had just explained himself to a woman which was something he swore up and down he would never do. He waited for the irritation to come, but it never did.

His attention was brought back to Mercedes when he felt her soft breath against his face as she told him that she thought he and Matt were just friends.

"We were, but if he keeps doing what he's doing that's going to be a thing of the past."

"I'm not trying to come between you and your friend."

"You're not...well you are but it's not your fault. Don't worry about it, ok?"

"Ok."

Once again, Sam was shocked by his need to make sure that Mercedes was okay. If it had been some other woman he would have told her it was her fault that he was about to lose a ten-year friendship over her and he wouldn't have felt the least bit guilty about it. With Mercedes he didn't want her to know that she was the sole reason for this rift with Matt because he knew it would make her feel bad and he didn't want that. When exactly had he become such a pussy?

All thoughts of losing his Man Card quickly floated away as he focused on the sparks that were igniting again between him and Mercedes. Was this normal? He had never felt anything like it before, even when things with Quinn were at their absolute best so why now? Why her? He had to know if she felt it too, because the idea of the sparks between them only being a one-sided thing was almost unbearable for Sam.

"Can you feel it? Please tell me you feel that?"

Sam realized he was begging but he didn't even care. He needed affirmation that this thing between them, whatever it may be, was a two-way street.

"Yes…"

At Mercedes whispered word Sam felt like a weight had been lifted off his chest. He leaned forward and cupped her soft cheek. Even though he couldn't see it he could almost envision the way her chocolately dark skin would look under his slightly tanned hand. He imagined it was beautiful.

"What the hell is this?"

"I don't know."

Sam didn't blame her, how could she know? Maybe the two of them needed to be studied because this thing between them was unreal.

"I want to kiss you so bad, Mercedes. Can I kiss you?"

Sam felt like a schoolboy asking that question but it felt like the right thing to do. He knew that he could have just leaned forward and taken the kiss but he wanted her permission. He wanted to know without a shadow of a doubt that she wanted him. He wanted them to both go into their first kiss knowing exactly what was going to happen.

Sam felt Mercedes nod her hand under his hand but it wasn't good enough.

"Say it."

"Yes."

"Yes, what?"

Sam realized he was being a little ridiculous at this point but for some reason he needed to hear her say his name.

"Yes, Mr. Evans you can kiss me."

Sam didn't like hearing Mercedes call him Mr. Evans, especially not in that moment. At work he insisted on it in the office but that was only because he was trying to keep some of the control that was steadily slipping from his grasp. However, they were no longer in the office and he wasn't worried about who had more control. All he wanted was to see her as a woman and for him to see him as a man. He didn't want that moment to be about anything other than the two of them in their most basic forms.

"No, say my real name. Please."

Sam held his breath waiting for her reply.

"Sam…"

The sound of her voice whispering his name was almost Sam's undoing. All sense of being gentle and sweet flew out the window because all he could think was that he needed her and he needed her NOW. He pressed his lips against hers and he instantly moaned at the contact. He had kissed his fair share of women but not a single one of them had lips like Mercedes. He pressed his tongue against them and she quickly granted him entrance. As he sank further into her mouth Sam couldn't help but think if he died right at that moment he would be the happiest man on earth. Mercedes mouth was perfection and never wanted to stop kissing her, unfortunately for him his lungs required a little bit more than just Mercedes lips to function so he was forced to pull away before he passed out from a lack of oxygen. As Sam struggled to catch his breath he continued to slide his hands over inch of her body he could reach. Her breasts were tantalizing but her ass captivated him. He was like a kid who goes to F.A.O Schwartz during Christmastime, he didn't know what to grab first. He decided that since her breasts were right there he should start with them. He had to open about five or six buttons before he was able to pull the shirt apart and get to her bra. He remembered the edgy red lace from that earlier that day and he briefly contemplated turning on the light so that he could see the full thing. The feeling quickly passed and he decided that today touching trumped seeing. He yanked the bra cup aside and instantly latched onto her nipple. The feeling of her stiff peak in his mouth had Sam hard as a rock. As he swirled the nipple around with his tongue he listened as Mercedes let out the most appealing moans as she begged him to do something to make the ache go away.

"What do you want me to do baby?"

He expected an answer but instead she just grabbed his head and pulled him up and kissed him. At first they were just little tiny pecks, but it once again escalated into a full blown make-out session. Sam was so hard at this point that he literally felt if he actually bumped into a wall he would ram a hole in it. He needed to be inside Mercedes and he needed it now. He regretted briefly that their first time was about the be up against a door in a packed sushi restaurant but he promised himself that he would make it up to her over and over and over again later.

Sam trailed his hands down to Mercedes hips and he gave her leather skirt a sharp tug. When nothing happened he actually thought for a second that he had just imagined pulling the skirt up. After the third or fourth time of pulling on the skirt he finally realized that the damn thing wasn't moving.

He knew that leather skirt was going to be the death of him.

"Is this thing welded on?"

Sam was so frustrated that he grabbed the skirt again and tugged it until he had lifted Mercedes in the air. By this time she was trying and failing miserably to hide her giggles. Even though Sam wanted to punch a wall or ram his incredibly hard dick into it all he could do was laugh as well. As it turned out, Sam wasn't going to have to feel guilty about having sex in a sushi restaurant after all.

As their laughter slowly subsided Sam bent down and hugged Mercedes' body to his. He settled his face into the crook of her neck and he was immediately enveloped in that unique smell of hers. This was definitely nice but there was something else he would much rather prefer doing at the moment.

"Now you see why I told you not to wear that damn skirt to the office."

He listened to her giggle quietly as she played with the hair at the nape of his neck.

"I would promise not to wear it again but I look fucking fantastic in it."

Truer words had never been spoken.

Sam began to run his lips lightly up and down the side of Mercedes neck and he softly stroked her back. He had never been the one for cuddling but there was something about having Mercedes in his arms that felt so right. Sam refused to start trying to figure out how a woman he had only known for two weeks had somehow wormed her way into his mind to the point that she was in every waking thought.

Sam thoughts were taking a turn he was nowhere near comfortable them going so he turned his focus back to the glorious woman in his arm that was emanating the most intoxicating smell.

"What is that?"

"What?"

"That smell?"

He felt Mercedes jerk back in his arms but he was too busy trying to figure out what the hell that smell was to pay too much attention.

"Is it some type of flower...or is it a fruit...I can't place it."

"Oh that? That's my soap. My friend Kurt knows this kooky hippie chick that makes and sells homemade soaps. She refuses to tell anyone what's in them so your guess is as good as mine."

Sam's business mind immediately went to all the untold millions that could be made of that hippie's soap. If she can make all women smell as delicious as Mercedes then it would be the equivalent of finding the fountain of youth.

"Hmmmm...Well, whatever it is you smell good enough to eat."

Sam went back to rubbing his nose along her skin but it was short-lived when he felt Mercedes gently push him back. He looked at her quizzically even though he knew she couldn't see him.

"I've got to go."

As soon as she said that Sam's mind instantly flashed to Matt. He had almost forgotten all about that asshole but now all that rage that had dissipated during his little make-out session with Mercedes came rushing back.

"Fine, let me pay my tab and we can go."

He knew that he was being deliberately obtuse but there was a small part of him that hoped that Mercedes would play along and just go with him.

"I have to go back to my table. I've been gone too long and Matt's probably wondering where I'm at."

He hated the way she said that, he hated that she was brushing him aside to go back to Matt of all people.

He stepped away from her and reached past her and flicked on the light. Finally seeing Mercedes after everything they had just done was something Sam wasn't prepared. Some of his angry drained away as his eyes roamed her body. Her usually impeccable hair was all over the place and her dark red lipstick was smeared all around her mouth. As his eyes drifted lower Sam bit back a groan after he noticed that Mercedes top was still undone and her left breast was out. It was still glistening from his mouth and it took everything in Sam not to latch onto it once again. When Mercedes started to fuss with her hair he grabbed her hands and stopped her. He created the mess so it was only right that he should fix it. He regretfully tugged up her bra cup until her breast was covered and then he buttoned her shirt until her beautiful brown skin was gone from his eyes. He turned his attention back to her full lips and rubbed her lips until the dark lipstick was gone. He stepped back and gave her a quick once over. She was decent enough to be seen in public but he still didn't want her around Matt looking like she had just been thoroughly fucked. The more he thought of it, the madder he got. She wasn't going back there! She could be mad at him all she wanted but he'd be damned before he let her go back out there to finish her 'date' with Matt.

"My car is in valet, I'll give you the ticket and you go straight there and wait. I will go get your belongings from Matt and give him your apologies. You are not to go back to that table. Do you understand?"

Sam knew by the look on Mercedes face that he was about to have a fight on his hands but he didn't care.

"No, Mr. Evans, I don't understand. I was invited to lunch and I accepted the invitation. I'm not just going to back out of that because you said so. You have no right to dictate who I spend my time with."

Oh, so he was Mr. Evans again? Sam narrowed his eyes at her. He didn't want to hurt her feelings but she needed to know the score when it comes to Matt.

"Don't you see he's playing you? He doesn't care anything about you he's just doing it to get back at me."

Sam watched as a variety of emotions crossed Mercedes' face. She didn't seem hurt so much as irritated so Sam breathed a sigh of relief that he hadn't hurt her feelings. As she continued to ponder Sam's hopes began to lift…maybe she was going to choose him after all.

"Look, Sam maybe you're ri—"

RING! RING! RING!

Sam started at the sudden loud noise and vibrating that was coming from his pocket. Who in the hell was calling him now? As Sam jerked the phone out of his pocket he didn't even bother looking at his caller ID, a mistake that he would regret for a long time to come.

"WHAT?"

"Sam? It's me Quinn. Where the hell are you? I've been sitting at this table by myself for the last 15 minutes. Your food is getting cold."

Oh. Shit.

Sam had completely forgotten about Quinn.

Because of the ridiculous speakers on his phone he knew that Mercedes heard and his suspicion was quickly confirmed when the hurt look that Sam was praying he would never see started to bloom on her face. He had just gotten through with warning her about Matt hurting her and 5 seconds later he was the one that ended up doing it. What kind of shitty irony is that?

He quickly murmured to Quinn that he would be out there soon and to eat without him before hanging up the phone. He watched as Mercedes angrily swiped away the tears that had sprung up in her eyes.

Fuck, he felt guilty. He knew Mercedes wasn't his girlfriend and he knew his lunch date with Quinn was anything but romantic but he still felt bad because he knew what she thought.

"Please let me explain."

"No. It doesn't matter, what's done is done. It was a stupid mistake that won't happen again."

Sam felt his blood run cold at the sound of her robotic, detached voice. He needed to make her understand.

"Don't do this Mercedes," Sam said angrily, "you need to listen to me, it's not what you think."

"NO! I don't need to do anything for you except do my job efficiently. I will continue to do that as long as you stay away from me."

"What the hell does that mean?"

"It means if you touch me again I'll quit."

Bullshit. Sam refused to believe that was true. He knew she needed his hands on her as much as he needed hers on him, there was no way that they wouldn't touch again.

"I'm not going to let you quit."

"You can't force me to stay."

"Fine, I won't touch you. But what if you touch me first?"

"Trust me, that's never going to happen."

"We'll see."

Even though Sam was shaken by Mercedes steely gaze he knew that she couldn't resist him, she would cave eventually no matter how strong her convictions were at the moment.

"I still have a little bit of time left on my lunch break so I would like to enjoy it before I have back. Please, tell Quinn I said hello."

That was a low blow, but it was one he deserved. He didn't say another word as she turned sharply on her heel and stalked out of the room. He watched her make her way toward and he figured he had a few minutes to have a little chat with Matt. He wasted no time making his way back into the dining room and he didn't stop until he reached Matt's table.

"I never realized what a slimy bastard you really were."

"Well, hello to you too Sam. I must say your taste in restaurants is impeccable, this place is incredible."

"Cut the bullshit Matt, what the fuck are you doing here with Mercedes?"

"The better question is what the fuck are you doing here with Quinn? You know, when I told Mercedes about you dumping me to meet up with some chick I had just pulled that out of my ass. Leave it to you to end up looking like an asshole because you're so damn predictable."

"Fuck you, Matt."

Matt laughed quietly and took a slow sip of his drink.

"So where's my flighty date? I was going to check on her but it was clear my concern was unnecessary. That red lipstick looks good on you by the way."

Sam wiped at his lips hastily but he wouldn't let Matt change the subject.

"Alright Matt, you had your fun but now it's time to cut Mercedes loose. You've made your point. I've got it. Now leave her alone."

"Why do you care so much?"

"I don't."

"Liar."

"Why are you doing this, Matt?"

"Because it was done to me."

"What the fuck are you even talking about?"

"Figures you wouldn't remember." Matt shook his head disgustedly.

"Look I don't have time for this, just—"

Sam felt a sharp tingle and he looked up to see Mercedes making her way over to them. He wanted to say more to Matt but he wasn't about to say it in front of Mercedes.

"We're not done, Matt."

"Oh, trust me. We're just getting started."

Sam felt dread creep up his spine at Matt's words. He had no doubt that he meant it.

"Are you okay Mercedes?"

Sam snapped back to reality at the sound of Matt's sickly sweet voice and he rolled his eyes at the fake concern he heaped on Mercedes.

"Actually I don't feel so well. I was hoping you could take me home."

Sam couldn't believe what he was hearing. Mercedes was supposed to be going back to the office, not heading home. Making his peace with Matt taking her back to work was hard enough but the idea of him going to her house was too much for Sam to handle.

"Home? I thought you were going back to the office to prepare for tomorrow's meeting?"

"I was but while I was in the restroom I realized that I just didn't feel up to being in an office today. Besides I got most of the stuff done already and anything that I haven't gotten yet I can do at home."

She was full of shit and Sam knew it. She wanted to get back at him for the Quinn thing and she was doing a damn good job of it.

You do look feverish, Mercedes," Matt said, making things infinitely worse. He waved a waiter over to bring them to-go boxes and Sam watched with clenched teeth and Matt barely hid his smug smirk.

"She looks fine to me." Sam growled out.

"Well, you're not a doctor so you can't make that call now can you, friend?"

At this point the only thing keep Sam from launching himself at Matt's throat was the fact that it would probably upset Mercedes to see him choking his former friend to death.

"Look, Mr. Evans I promise that everything for the meeting will be taken care of and it will run smoothly. Can I please go home?"

Sam could feel the muscles in his jaw start to twitch. Between the Mr. Evans crap and knowing that he couldn't justifiably demand that Mercedes go back to work without looking like an asshole, Sam was at his wit's end.

"Fine, Ms. Jones. You may have the rest of the day off."

He hated to do it, but he knew that he would just have to take this loss, regroup, and pray that Mercedes had enough sense not to let Matt into her apartment.

Sam watched sulkily as Matt paid the bill and left a tip. His mood further darkened when he heard Matt say,

"Are you ready to go home, beautiful?"

That asshole knew exactly what he doing and it was driving Sam fucking crazy. Thankfully, Mercedes wasn't impressed by his little dig and she gave him a look to let him know it.

Mercedes turned her body slightly towards Sam's but she still wouldn't meet his gaze.

"I'll see you first thing tomorrow, sir."

Sam barely acknowledged the greeting because he was so busy trying to convey to Matt that he would fuck him up if he touched Mercedes. Matt just smirked in response.

"You remember what I said."

"Yeah, you remember what I said too."

Sam had finally had enough and he shot one more glance at Mercedes before making his way back over to a perturbed Quinn.

"Where in the hell have you been? I've been sitting by myself for 20 minutes and I had to eat alone and you know how much I hate eating alone!"

The ridiculousness of Quinn's statement was hilarious to him and he began to laugh. Was she always this vapid and grating? Maybe the stress of the day had finally hit him and he was having a mental breakdown. Whatever it was it took him a good five minutes to finally calm down. When he finally wiped the tears of laughter from his face he was met with a very unamused Quinn Fabray.

"Are you done?"

"Yes…and I'm ready to go so how about you tell me about your important news."

"First tell me about her."

"Who?"

"The black woman you were getting into a pissing contest with Matt over."

"It's none of your business so stay out of it."

"Touchy, touchy. I was just going to tell you that she's a very beautiful woman. I hope she is smart enough to realize she is a pawn in one of you and Matt's games."

"Fuck you, Quinn. As usual you don't know what you're talking about…but then again maybe you do. Is this your clever way of telling me that you fucked Matt in college? After everything it wouldn't surprise me, so if it happen then just spit it out. I promise I won't care."

"You can be so crude sometimes."

"And you can be a bitch, what's your point?"

"Look, I didn't come here to fight with you…I came because…I…I need help."

"What kind of help? Money?"

"No, not money. I need help with my baby's father. I…I love him and I want him to be in the baby's life but he told me that he didn't want it."

"Are you fucking serious?"

"Sam, keep your voice down!" Quinn said in a stage whisper.

"After everything you did to me, you come to me of all people and ask for help with baby daddy #2? Why don't you go to baby daddy #1 and ask him for help?"

"Me and Noah don't talk…not anymore. Not after what happened to the baby."

"Yeah, I know what happened to your baby and I am sorry. I wasn't in the place back then to be gracious and I should have swallowed my pride and given you my condolences."

"It's fine, Sam. Nobody expected you to come to my bedside after I had a stillborn baby with the man I cheated on you with."

The cheating comment stung even after all this time.

"I know, but still…I'm sorry."

"Thank you." Quinn said softly. "Believe me Sam, if I could have went to anyone else I would have but there is no one else and I'm desperate."

"Quinn, I honestly don't know what I can do to help. If they guy doesn't want kids then maybe it's best he's not involved."

"No." Quinn said firmly, "I love him and I know he loves me, he is just being stubborn. We could be a family…I could finally have my family."

Sam regarded Quinn worriedly, she had an unhinged quality about her that he didn't really notice before. It was clear that this baby was important to her but he feared it was for the wrong reasons.

"Look Quinn, maybe you should just give the guy time. If he truly loves you then he will find his way back to you eventually."

"I don't have time…I will be showing soon and I…I just don't want to be alone with this pregnancy. After what happened with the first baby I'm terrified about everything and I want, no I need, someone there with me."

"Quinn…"

"All you have to do is talk to him, that's all. I know you'll make a difference."

"Why me? Why will I make a difference?"

"Because he looks up to you and he'll listen to you. And because this baby will be your niece or nephew."

Sam felt the blood begin to drain out of his face. No, that can't be right…he must have misunderstood.

"What?" He whispered weakly.

"The baby's father is Stevie."


	8. Revenge is Chocolaty Sweet

Her name was Gabrielle.

He loved her.

He wanted her.

He needed her.

Sam got her.

He fucked her and a week later he kicked her to the curb.

He joked with Matt the next day about what a good lay she was.

He didn't love her.

He didn't need her.

He had forgotten about her by the end of the week.

Matt never forgot her.

As Matt glanced over at Mercedes sitting next to him in the passenger seat he felt a momentary pain of guilt. She was a nice woman and certainly didn't deserve to be used. He almost wished that Sam would have fallen for one of those vapid blondes he usually gravitated to, it would have made this whole revenge thing a whole lot easier.

Unfortunately for Mercedes, Sam didn't fall for a vapid blonde. He fell for her and he fell hard. Even though Sam wouldn't admit it Matt could tell, he could tell because he felt the same way about Gabrielle all those years ago. Sam had become so closed off and hard-hearted after what happened with Quinn that he was incapable of noticing the signs but Matt saw them all. He was crazy about Mercedes and it would only be a matter of time before he was completely in love with her. Matt hoped by the time that happened he would have already had Mercedes in his bed.

He couldn't wait to see the look on Sam's face when he realized that Matt had the one thing he wanted most in the world.

He couldn't wait to see the look on Sam's face when Matt told him what a good lay Mercedes was.

Matt wanted Sam to know the pain that he knew. He wanted Sam to feel the anguish when he realized the woman that he loved desperately didn't love him back.

Matt had hated Sam Evans for 6 years and he couldn't wait to get his revenge.

He wished that Mercedes didn't have to be collateral damage but at the end of the day his need to punish Sam outweighed the growing soft spot he had for Mercedes. He tried to assuage his guilty conscience but trying to convince himself that he was doing Mercedes a favor. She could do a lot better than Sam and once the humiliation passed she would realize that. He was doing her favor and he hoped one day she would see that. The last thing she needed in her life was Sam's emotionally stunted ass.

As Matt pulled up to Mercedes' apartment he decided against his initial plan of trying to go up. After hearing about Sam and Quinn's engagement she had been strangely subdued. Not upset, per say, but it was clear she was affected. He didn't really know what to make of the whole thing so he decided it was best to give her space. Trying to come up to her place was the expected thing to do and unlike his idiot ex-friend he didn't like to be predictable. He decided to give her space for a few days while he conducted some business and then come back on Friday and ask her out on a real date. He figured by the time the week was up the news of Sam's engagement and the reappearance of his fiancé would finally sink in and subdued Mercedes would be long gone. He witnessed bits of pieces of Mercedes persona and he knew she was not a woman to be messed around with.

He was sure that she was going to hate him when the dust cleared and he truly regretted that. Maybe in another time or place they could have been…something. Maybe if he had met her first all of the pain and heartache would have never happened and he wouldn't be the bitter man he is today.

Matt knew he could 'what if' all day but it wouldn't change anything. The damage was done. The damage that Sam Evans had inflicted had left its undeniable mark.

He had to pay.

Matt glanced over at Mercedes, "hey, we're here."

She blinked as if she was in a trance and then looked around at her surroundings.

"Oh, I hadn't realized, I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it. Are you okay?"

"Yeah I'm fine…it's just…a lot has happened today."

"Yeah…look, if you want to talk about it…?" Matt let the question linger.

"NO! I mean, no. I just want to go upstairs and put on some comfortable clothes and sleep the rest of this day away."

"I hear that," he chuckled.

"Thank you for lunch and for the ride."

"It was my pleasure. Now go and get some rest."

Mercedes smiled softly before getting out of the car. Once she got up to her apartment she gave him a small wave before disappearing inside.

She really was a nice woman.

It was such a shame that she had to pay too.


	9. Tequila and Ice Cream

"He was the fiancé."

Mercedes sat on the couch in her living room staring blankly at the wall as those words replayed over and over in her head. She didn't know why hearing that had bothered her so much but it did. She knew she had no claim whatsoever and she had past romances herself, but something about hearing he was promised to someone else rubbed her the wrong way.

"He was the fiancé."

It had been 45 minutes since Matt had dropped her off and still the only thing reverberating through her brain was the bombshell he dropped in the restaurant. He had wanted to go into more detail but Mercedes stopped him. She didn't want to hear it. She just wanted to get as far away from Sam and his pretty ex-fiancé as she could.

Why was she there? Why did Sam seem happy to see her? There were times that Sam looked at her so intensely that she thought he hated her and she didn't even do anything to him. Why is the woman that humiliated him and broke his heart allowed to have his laughs? Did she want him back? Did he want her back?

Where in the hell did that leave her?

"He was the fiancé."

The more Mercedes thought about it the madder she got. If it hadn't been for the torture device she called a skirt she and Sam would have sex in that dark, private room. They would have sex while his gorgeous ex-fiancé waited for him. Did he still love her? Did he want to get back with her? If, so what in the hell was he doing trying to seduce Mercedes in an empty room?

"UGH!"

Mercedes needed a distraction and she needed it now. If she sat in that room staring at the wall any longer all she was going to do is twist herself up in knots inside. She needed someone to talk to and knew the perfect person. She grabbed her cell phone out of her phone and quickly searched until she found the contact she was looking for.

"Well, hello Mercedes I see you finally decided to call and apologize after hanging up in my face."

"Please don't start Kurt, I need to talk."

Kurt heard the desperate tone in Mercedes voice and he instantly got serious.

"What is it babe?"

"I don't want to talk about it over the phone, can you come over?"

"Of course honey, I'll be there in 20 minutes."

After hanging up, Mercedes made a couple of quick calls to finalize everything for tomorrow's meeting. With that out of the way she was free to take the rest of the day curled up on the sofa with Kurt feeling sorry for herself. After changing into an oversized shirt, her favorite yoga pants and throwing her hair up in a messy ponytail she laid on the couch with a blanket. Kurt had his own key so Mercedes snuggled deeper into the couch knowing that she wouldn't have to get up to let him in.

True to his word, Kurt showed up about 20 minutes after he got off the phone. He carried in a paper sack with two items in it: Bluebell ice cream and tequila. Suddenly Mercedes' day got a little bit brighter. She felt Kurt's weight as he sat down on the couch by her head and started to run his fingers through her ponytail.

"Do you want this stuff now or later?"

"Later."

"Okay."

Kurt got up and placed the ice cream and tequila in the freezer and then he walked back over and sat down in the same spot.

"So, are you going to tell me what's got you so upset?"

"It's Sam."

Kurt groaned loudly, "what now? I swear you've had a Sam story every day for the past two weeks. I know the money is good Mercedes but it isn't worth all this stress."

"It's not work related."

"Okay, then what is it? Did he say or do something inappropriate? Because if he did I have a friend that knows a girl that used to date a lawyer and we will sue the shit out of Sam-wait, when did you start calling him by his first name?"

"After he asked me to."

"Well, that's sweet of him. When did he ask you? Today?"

"Yeah it was somewhere around when he asked me if he could kiss me."

Mercedes pulled the blanket over her eyes so she wouldn't have to see the judgmental look on Kurt's face. After about a full minute of stunned silence she felt Kurt tugging on her blanket.

"Bitch! You had better look at me! You can't just drop a bomb on me and then hide your face! I want all the details, right now."

"Ok, fine."

Mercedes reluctantly sat up and she relayed the entire story from the encounter in Sam's office, to her introduction to Matt, to how she came to be at the sushi restaurant, to their hook-up in the dining room and finally the news about Sam and his ex-fiancé.

"I knew that outfit was epic..."

"Kurt focus! What am I supposed to do?"

"What do you mean? It's clear that you're both attracted to each other so I would hop on that dick if I were you."

"And what about the fiancé?"

"What about her? Sam is clearly not worried about her so I don't know why you have to be."

"Because if something happens and they decide to get back together, then where does that leave me?

"What do you mean where does that leave you? If it's just sex then you're free to go and do whatever the hell you want unless...are you in love with him?"

"What? No! I barely even know him."

"So what, you don't know him well enough to love him but you do know him well enough to fuck him?"

"It was in the heat of the moment, if I had been thinking straight..."

"You still would have done it. Look, you can lie to yourself all you want to Mercedes but you can't lie to me. You're not the type of girl to sleep with someone that didn't mean something to you. You just aren't built that way."

"Maybe I've changed."

"Girl, stop" Kurt said rolling his eyes, "you haven't changed a damn thing. Quit lying to yourself."

"I can't..."

"Why not?"

"Because if I admit out loud that he means something to me then everything changes."

"Why is that such a bad thing?"

"Because what if I'm just another conquest for him? What if I'm nothing more than just something to keep him satisfied on the side while he works on getting Quinn back?"

Kurt looked at her like she was crazy, "Do you really, truly believe that he would do that?"

Mercedes pondered that for a moment and she realized that she didn't. Even though it was clear that Sam was a complete asshole she felt like she could trust him with her heart. The only problem was she had no idea what he wanted. He may not intentionally hurt her but at the same time maybe all he wants is a few weeks of great sex. If he's upfront and honest with her about that can she really fault him? The sexual tension between them was borderline unbearable so sex was going to happen, but did she really want to start down that road if it was just going to lead to heartbreak?

"Mercedes, snap out of it!"

Mercedes hadn't realized she was off in her own little world until Kurt started waving his hand wildly in her face.

"Sorry," she said sheepishly.

"No problem, I could tell you were thinking but your eyes were starting to glaze over so I figured I would put a stop to it before it turned into a full-blown trance."

"Ha, ha, ha."

"So what conclusion did you come to?"

"I really don't know...my heart is telling me to go for it and let the chips fall where they may. My head, on the other hand, is telling me to slow all the way down. I just...I don't know what to do."

"Yes, you do. It's time to quit the games for one."

"What, what games?"

"The tight outfits, though gorgeous if I do say so myself, are designed to illicit some sort of reaction from Sam. Instead of just being woman enough to tell him what you wanted him you decided to use your clothes to torture him until he caved."

"Uh, weren't YOU the one that suggested that?"

"Don't change the subject. Like I said you wore those outfits knowing what they would do to him."

"No, I didn't..." Mercedes trailed off because she knew she was lying.

"Yes, you did. And you know what, it worked. But now it's time for you to put your big girl panties on and tell him exactly what you want."

"That's easier said than done, Kurt."

"Not really. You have already made it over the big hump, you got him to admit that he wanted you so now it should be easy from here on out."

"And the Quinn thing?"

"How about you ask and stop jumping to conclusions? You said that he wanted you to leave with him, would he have done that if he was on a date with her? If anything it looked as if he were going to dump her in favor of you."

"Yeah, I guess."

"Look, in my honest opinion the Quinn stuff doesn't mean shit. Sam doesn't seem like the type of guy that would welcome a woman back with open arms that had humiliated him in front of his family and friends the way she did. I really don't think you have anything to worry about when it comes to the Quinn chick."

Mercedes was still a little doubtful that Quinn wasn't someone to worry about but decided to brush that aside and focus on other things.

"Ok, I think you're right."

"I'm sorry...what was that?"

"I said I think you're right..."

"Say that one more time?"

"KURT!"

"Ok, fine. So first things first, we need to break out the tequila and ice cream and come up with a plan!"

"Wait, I thought you said I needed to stop with the games?"

"Yes, I said it and I meant it. The games need to stop, but there is nothing wrong with a little flirtation and I've seen the way you flirt, so we have to be prepared."

"Oh screw you, Kurt. I have seen the way you flirt too and launching myself on to some man's lap is never going to happen."

"Hate all you want, it works like a charm every single time. I can't recall your record but I do seem to remember Bush still being President the last time you had a date."

"Ha, ha, very funny."

Kurt dodged the pillow that Mercedes threw at him and went into the kitchen to get the ice cream and tequila. He came back with the ice cream, two giant spoons, two shot glasses and the tequila.

"Before I get started, I've just gotta know…exactly how much did he like that skirt?"

Kurt wasn't fast enough to dodge the pillow this time.

5:00 am came extra early the next morning and Mercedes blamed it on the excess tequila that seemed to still be sloshing around inside of her. After the hottest shower she could stand, two cups of coffee, and four Advil, Mercedes almost felt human again. As she rushed to the office she prayed that everything went smoothly because with the way her head was pounding she knew wouldn't be able to handle Sam yelling at her.

Once she made it to the office, she quickly got everything in order and was pleased to find that because of her excellent planning skills everything went relatively smoothly. Now, all she had to do was wait for Sam to come give it a once over and tell her if she needed to fix anything before the client's arrived.

So she waited.

And waited.

And waited.

And waited.

It was now 7:45 and the boardroom was quickly filling up but there was still no Sam to be found. Mercedes had called up to the office several times but there was no answer. She had even sent Mrs. Halbright upstairs to check but she reported back that Sam wasn't there and it hadn't looked as if had been at any point. Mercedes then called all the cell and house phone numbers that she had in case of an emergency but she still got no answer. She knew that Sam took his business very seriously and Suggs Home Delivery was one of his biggest clients, he wouldn't just blow off this meeting. By this point she was in a full-blown panic thinking of all of the things that could be wrong with Sam. She was about 30 seconds away from calling the police when all of a sudden a jovial, blonde man burst through the doors. She immediately breathed a sigh of relief because at first she thought it was Sam but upon closer inspection she realized it wasn't him. The blonde man brusquely walked towards and held out his hand,

"Hello, my name is Stevie Evans, Co-CEO of Evans & Evans Advertising. You must be Mercedes, it's nice to meet you."

"It's nice to meet you too."

Mercedes knew that the Co-CEO title was just that, a title. Sam made all the important day to day decisions, while Stevie popped in and out whenever he felt like it. According to what Emma had told her the title was only bestowed on Stevie via John Evans' last will and testament. In order to keep his trust fund money he had to be a part of the family business. It was clear that the world of advertising was not Stevie's cup of tea but he did just enough to stay involved so that he got to keep his money.

"So, I guess you're wondering where my brother is at?"

"Yes, actually I was getting kind of worried. Is he alright."

"He's fine...or at least he will be." Stevie's face darkened, "He's a bit indisposed at the moment so he won't be at the meeting today."

"Oh, okay. Do I need to reschedule or..."

"No, I've got it."

Mercedes eyes widened at Stevie's statement and the little bubble of panic started to grow in his chest. She knew she had no right to question him seeing that it was his name on the front of the building and she was just an assistant, but she knew that if messed this up she would be blamed for it.

"Are you sure sir? I'm sure if I explain, the Suggs people will happily reschedule."

Stevie smiled down at her, "don't worry Mercedes, I've got this."

Mercedes smiled up at Stevie timidly before letting her thoughts drift to how big of a box she would need to put all of her stuff in after Sam fired her.

Snapping back to reality she handed over the notes that Sam requested typed up and then she got everything set up to run the power point while Stevie talked. Once she was settled and gave Stevie a nod of approval he began his spiel.

It took all of 30 seconds for Stevie to have the entire room spellbound. He had a great personality, he was knowledgeable of the product, ridiculously charming, and he wasn't too bad to look at. Mercedes was stunned. Halfway through she completely gave up on the power point because Stevie hadn't glanced at the notes once and nobody was paying attention to the screen anyway. By the time he was finished he was met with a rousing applause and instant confirmation that the client wanted him to head their advertising campaign.

Once Mercedes heard that the campaign was a go she breathed a huge sigh of relief. All of the stress from earlier melted away and she felt like she could breathe again. She put her mental box of belongings away and went to go shake hands with everyone as they exited the room.

After everyone was gone she gave the cleaning crew a quick set of instructions before gathering up all of her materials and heading for her office. Before she could make it to the elevator she ran head first into Stevie.

"Oh!"

"Shit! Are you okay!"

"I'm fine...I'm so sorry I should have been watching where I was going."

"No, it's okay. I wasn't paying attention either."

Mercedes met Stevie's eyes and she was momentarily stunned by how much he looked like Sam. They had the same dark blonde hair but Stevie's was little bit longer and more unkempt. They both had great smiles but instead of green eyes like his brother's, Stevie's were a dark blue. He was also a bit skinnier than Sam and he still had a look about him that almost made him seem like a teenager, while Sam on the other hand was all man. The one striking difference between Stevie and Sam was the mischievous glint in Stevie's eyes. It was clear that he enjoyed life and probably didn't take things seriously, while on the other hand Sam was so intense. As Stevie smiled down at her Mercedes instantly concluded that he was a playboy and he has probably left a trail of broken hearts in his wake. She knew if she stood there long enough he would try and run game on her so she quickly brought up Sam.

"Have you heard anything from Mr. Evans?"

Stevie rolled his eyes and gave a curt, "no."

"I'm assuming that you know he's okay and that's why you're not worried, right?"

"Actually no, he's not alright. We had a bit of an...incident last night and the last person I feel like thinking about is my brother."

An incident? Well, that didn't sound good.

The worry Mercedes was feeling must have been evident on her face because Stevie sighed and told her that she should go check on Sam.

"I don't know where he lives or..."

Stevie quickly cut her off by pulling a pen out of her hand and scribbling something on the top folder on the pile she was carrying. He then pulled his keys out of his pocket and pulled one off.

"Here's his address and the key to his place. When you get there tell the doorman that you're a friend of Sam's and show him the key. He shouldn't give you a problem but I'll call ahead just to make sure. Once you get into the elevator use the key and push the 'P' button. It'll take you straight to Sam's place. "

"I don't know if this is appropriate."

"It'll be fine. Just go there make sure Sam's not dead or something and then come on back. You'll be fine."

Mercedes slightly recoiled at Stevie's nonchalant attitude at finding Sam dead but she hoped it didn't show too much. There was something going on between them but it wasn't her place to worry about it.

Since Stevie offered to take her things up the office she was free to go straight to Sam's place. She plugged the address into her GPS system and headed on her way. As she made her way to Sam's place she contemplated calling Kurt for a pep talk. She was nervous as hell about being in Sam's apartment alone and although she didn't think anything would happen after yesterday she wasn't entirely sure they would be able to control themselves.

Once she got to the very impressive apartment building that Sam lived in she told the doorman exactly what Stevie told her to and showed him the key and he let her in without problem. As she took the quick up in the elevator she wondered what she'd find. Would he be mad about missing the meeting? Would he be pissed at her for not trying harder to reach him? Would he be jealous that Stevie got the account without him?

As the elevator slid opened Mercedes realized she was completely off the mark. In order to be mad or jealous you have to be conscious.

Sam was not.


	10. Wedding Bell Blues

"Sam? Sam, can you hear me? Sam! Please say something you're freaking me out!"

Sam could hear Quinn hysterically babbling and he wanted nothing more than to tell her to shut the hell up but the words wouldn't form. That feeling...that gut-wrenching feeling that he felt so many years ago and he prayed he would never feel again was back.

Sam kept glancing worriedly at his watch, they were almost 10 minutes behind and Quinn was never late.

"Dude, what's the hold up?"

Sam shot a look at his 16-year-old little brother Stevie that clearly told him that he needed to shut the hell up.

Stevie threw his hands up and whispered a quick apology under his breath.

Sam turned his attention back to his watch and prayed that the beads of sweat popping up on his head wouldn't be noticeable to the guests. It wasn't hot inside the massive church at all but with every minute Quinn was missing Sam felt as if he was inside a furnace that was being turned up higher and higher.

After about another five minutes the guests started to get restless and many of them were throwing concerned looks Sam's way. Just when he thought he couldn't stand it any longer he heard the organ player start up with the wedding march. He breathed a sigh of relief and he and the 150 guests turned to face the doors that Quinn would soon be coming out of. He took a deep breath and prepared himself to feel the rush of emotion he always heard of men feeling when they first saw their bride walk down the aisle. Unfortunately for Sam, the feeling never came. It didn't have time to because as soon as the door were opened Quinn came hurtling down the aisle, alone.

"Where's her dad?" Sam heard Stevie say.

The dread started to creep through his body like ooze when Quinn finally got close enough to where he could fully see her. Her hair looked as if it were in some complicated updo at some point but now it looked like a bird's nest. Her face was red and splotchy from crying and there were new tears already forming in her eyes. The bodice of her dress was slightly askew and when he looked down he could see her bare feet peeking out from underneath the dress.

"What happened Quinn, and where is your dad?"

"He left! I can't...he just left...I don't know what to do!" She sobbed.

Sam was livid, how could her father abandon her on her wedding day? Did he disapprove of their union? Sam never got the feeling that he did, but if so, he should have picked a better time to express it than 5 minutes before the ceremony.

Even though Sam could feel 150 pairs and there were various people coming up to help he motioned for them all to stay back.

"Quinn honey, look at me. You need to calm down, and tell me what happened. Why did your father leave?"

"He disowned me! He said I shamed him and he never wanted to speak to me again!"

"What...because of the wedding?"

"No! Because of the ba-"

Quinn quickly shut her mouth and looked around wildly as if to make sure no one heard what she said.

"Because of the what? What are you talking about?"

Sam watched in surprise as Quinn quickly pulled herself together and put on her 'Ice Queen' mask. He hated the blank, dead-eyed look she would get when she put her mask up. The dread that had been oozing through him immediately started to move at the speed of burning lava.

"Sam, we need to talk but I prefer that we didn't do it in front of the guests."

"No, if you have something to say to me then say it so you can go back and get cleaned up and we can finish this wedding."

"There is not going to be a wedding today."

Sam ignored the shocked gasps that went through the crowd.

"Excuse me?"

"Sam please, let's not do this here."

"TELL ME, NOW!"

Quinn widened her eyes and stepped back. All at once the mask crumpled and big, fat tears started rolling down her face.

"Please, Sam...please, don't make me do this here."

"Quinn. Just. Say. It." He said through clenched teeth.

"I'm pregnant."

The dread that had been flowing through his body suddenly locked up and became like a living breathing thing inside of him that was eating him alive.

Quinn couldn't be pregnant because they had never had sex. So unless she was a modern day Mary and she was carrying Jesus 2.0 then she wasn't pregnant. He refused to believe she was pregnant. She. Was. Not. Pregnant.

"Sam please...you have to say something."

"You're not pregnant."

She closed her eyes and more tears started to fall down her cheeks.

"Please, let's go in the back okay? We can finish this conversation in private."

"You're not pregnant."

"Sam, please man, maybe we should take this to the back." Stevie whispered softly.

"Don't touch me. I'm not going anywhere. Whatever she has to say she can say it in here."

Quinn looked back at the guests who had become strangely quiet. It was clear that none of them were going to miss the show.

"Sam, I'm sorry...this isn't the way I wanted you to find out. I was going to wait until after-"

"After we got married? You were going to wait until after we were married to tell me you were pregnant with some other man's child?"

"Yes! But Daddy found out and he told me to tell you days ago but I couldn't do it. He would've told you today but I begged him not to and that's when he told me I was no longer his daughter and left."

"Good." Sam said coldly. Out of the corner of his eye he could see several heads nodding among the guests.

"You don't mean that. I made a mistake, a silly, stupid mistake. It was only one time! I didn't ask for this. I'm so sorry baby, I'm so, so sorry. I love you and I know you love me, we can work this out. Please, I need you." Quinn pleaded.

As Sam stared down at her all he could feel was pity. She was a lost little girl and she probably always would be. For over a year he thought he loved her. He changed damn near everything about himself to be with her but in the end he convinced himself it was worth it because he got her. Now, he saw how wrong that was. Quinn Fabray was no prize.

"Who is he?" Sam asked softly

"Does it matter?"

Sam's steely gaze was all the answer needed.

"His name is Noah Puckerman. He...he, cleaned my dad's pool."

Sam chuckled mirthlessly, "So when you say you want to be with me what you mean is you want to be with my wallet?"

"No! I love you Sam!"

"Just not enough to not cheat, right?"

At that question Quinn started to sob loudly. The guests began to shift uncomfortably in their seats. What was once an interesting show was quickly shaping up to be a devastating turn of events.

"Please Sam, I know I messed up but I promise it'll never happen again."

"I know it won't because we're through."

He moved to brush past her but she immediately grabbed his arm and began to plead with him to stay. She was making a complete fool out of both of them and with the very fragile hold he had on his control he needed to get out of that church as quickly as possible.

"Quinn, let go. You are making a fool out of yourself in front of the guests."

"I don't care! We don't have to get married today, but don't leave me, okay? We'll work this out and I'll fix things with my father and everything will be the way it's supposed to be."

Sam was worried about the crazed look in Quinn's eye but the hatred growing inside of him wouldn't allow him to be concerned for too long.

"And what about the baby? Where's your bastard child going to go?" Who is going to raise it?"

"We are. The baby would be yours, we'd give him or her your last name. It would be an Evans just like you."

Sam was trying so hard to control his rage but hearing how Quinn had plotted and schemed to pass off her baby with another man as his child was his breaking point.

"MOVE!"

Quinn gave a startled squeak but she wasn't going to be easily deterred. Luckily for him Emma got up from her seat next to his father and pried Quinn's hands off of him.

As soon as he was free he took off down the aisle. As he by the guests he heard various comments like, "I'm so sorry" "What a shame" "that poor boy..." By the time he made it outside his hands were shaking, he couldn't breathe, and he couldn't see because of the tears burning his eyes.

The pain was indescribable.

What had he done to deserve this?

8 years later Sam was asking himself the same question again. He couldn't give a damn about Quinn being pregnant again, but his brother being the father was almost too much for him to handle.

He knew it wasn't jealously because he had just experienced jealously on a ridiculous level because of Matt's pursuit of Mercedes and while that feeling fucked with his head it still didn't emotionally break him. Only Quinn could do that. Only Quinn would do that.

"I don't believe you, Quinn."

She sighed, "Why would I lie about Stevie being the father?"

He looked at her incredulously, "because you're a liar, that's what liars do."

"Look, Sam I know I fucked up before but this is different. We weren't together so I don't see why you're getting angry. Are you jealous or something."

"Don't flatter yourself Quinn. I wasn't jealous the last time you got knocked up with some other man's child and I'm not jealous now."

"So, you believe me?"

"No."

"But you just said-"

"I just said that I'm not jealous of you having a baby with another man. I never said anything that other man being Stevie."

"And what's going to have to happen before you believe it?"

"A paternity test." Sam said matter-of-factly.

"Sam that is ridiculous! I don't sleep around."

Sam laughed cruelly.

"I don't. I was only sleeping with Puck when I got pregnant."

That was a low blow and from the tiny smirk on Quinn's face she knew it.

"Maybe if you had better sense of whose dick to bounce on maybe you wouldn't be in the predicament that you're in."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"It means don't think I've forgotten that comment you made about making your first baby an Evans. You may think you're clever but I'll be damned if I let your try and pass off another one of your bastards off as my family."

"Fuck you Sam." Quinn said with tears in her eyes. "You don't have to believe me but I'll get that fucking paternity test and when I do I want an apology."

"Don't hold your breath."

Sam waved the waiter over and handed him a hundred dollar bill and told him to keep the change. The waiter looked as if he wanted to argue given the fact that the mean only cost about 40 dollars but he thought better of it and scurried away.

"Are you going to talk to Stevie?" Quinn asked softly, "I really do need his help."

"Do you mean his money?"

"Sam, please."

"Fine. I want to know if my traitor brother was really stupid enough to sleep with you."

"Thank you."

"Don't thank me Quinn, because if he tells me that he didn't sleep with you then I never want to see your face again. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

"Good."

Sam grabbed his keys off the table and stalked out of the restaurant leaving Quinn behind. As soon as he got in his car he took off in the direction of his brother's condo. Since the lazy bastard decided not to come to work again Sam knew he was probably at home sleeping another late night.

After stalking passed the doorman Sam jumped into the elevator and viciously pressed the button to his brother floor. As soon as he reached Stevie's front door he started pounding on it mercilessly.

"I'm coming...I said I'm coming...WHO THE FUCK IS IT?"

Stevie flung the door angrily but his expression quickly changed to confusion when he saw it was Sam.

"Dude, what the fuck? Why are you beating on my door like you're the police or something?"

Sam walked in the door and pushed Stevie so hard he bounced back off the wall.

"Did you do it? Huh? DID YOU?"

"Do what? What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Did you sleep with Quinn?"

The color drained out of Stevie's face as his eyes widened in shock.

"How did you...who told you?"

"Quinn did." Sam started shaking his head from side to side, "man, how could you?"

"It was just one night. I saw her out at a restaurant and we started talking and we had a few drinks and well...one thing led to another. I didn't tell you because I knew it would upset you and I didn't want to get you upset over nothing."

"Nothing?" Sam knew he could be heartless when it came to kids but even he wouldn't refer to a kid as nothing.

"Yeah, it was a one night thing, I never saw her again."

"Have you talked to her?"

Stevie looked away guiltily, "yeah she called once but she was acting crazy so I hung up the phone and I haven't returned any of her calls since."

"What did she say Stevie?'

"What does it matter? Like I said she was talking crazy."

"What did she say?"

"She said she was pregnant okay? But it's bullshit. She tried to put a kid off on you and now she's trying to do it to me. It was one fucking night; if she even is pregnant the kid's not mine."

Sam felt drained. He didn't have the strength to be angry anymore, not today.

"You're a coward."

"That's rich coming from you Sam." Stevie said angrily. "Don't forget you walked away from her too."

"It wasn't my fucking kid!

"Well, this one isn't mine either as far as I'm concerned."

Sam looked at his brother in shock. He knew that Stevie had his selfish moments but he never thought he would deny his on child.

"You disappoint me, Stevie."

"Well, we can't all be perfect like you, bro." Stevie said bitterly.

Sam gave his brother one last long hard look before turning and leaving the apartment. After a hellishly long drive back to his place Sam entered his penthouse and headed straight for the liquor cabinet. He grabbed the first full bottle he could find, which just happened to be Jack Daniels, and he took the top off and took a deep swig. The burn going down his throat and into his chest was all Sam could feel or think about, which was perfect. He was done thinking about his brother and Quinn and their baby on the way. He was done worrying about Matt and for a little while he was done lusting for Mercedes. He needed a fucking break and his good friend Jack was going to provide it.

Sam slid down to the floor next to the liquor cabinet. He knew he would regret sitting on the floor in the morning but right now he couldn't find it in himself to care. It didn't take much time for Sam to down half a bottle of whiskey and he could feel himself right on the verge of passing out. Before he went under he made sure to place the top back on it carefully because he wanted Old Jack's mind-numbing liquid to be the first thing to greet him when he woke up. Unfortunately for him someone else had different plans and the liquid that greeted him was cold, from a faucet, and thrown right into his face.

He sputtered as he came to and the room spun dizzily around him. He shut his eyes in hopes that the pounding in his head would go away and the room would stop spinning.

"Oh good, so you're not dead."

The question was nonchalant but the way it was asked was anything but. Sam stared up at the woman hovering over him with the tears in her eyes and the empty bowl in her quivering hands. She was livid.

He was in trouble now.


	11. How Close Was Too Close?

He was dead.

Mercedes felt her blood go cold as she looked at the lifeless figure of her boss. When she had walked into his penthouse she had expected to find a lot of things-a dead body was not one of them. The more she stared as his still frame the more she began to panic. This was bad...it was so bad. How had this happened? Was it natural? Did somebody do this to him? Mercedes' panicked hysterical thoughts went automatically to Stevie. There had been something off about him earlier when he mentioned his brother. He obviously knew there was something up with Sam but he didn't seem too concerned about it.

At once all common sense deserted Mercedes as she suddenly became Nancy Drew and deduced that Stevie obviously killed Sam and he had sent her over here so she could be caught with the dead body and take the fall! At this point Mercedes was in full-panic mode and she was about 30 seconds from completely hyperventilating. She was going to go to jail, she just knew it. Her breaths started coming quicker and quicker and her vision started to go black around the edges. Mercedes felt herself getting light-headed and she knew she was about to pass out. Just as the room started spinning around her she heard it.

"Ugh..."

It was the most beautiful sound she had ever heard. She still wasn't convinced that he hadn't been attacked but at least he wasn't dead...yet. As she got closer he continued to make groaning sounds but it wasn't until Mercedes was standing over Sam that she saw who the real culprit was. Turns out Stevie Evans wasn't trying to kill him, but Jack Daniels sure as hell was.

The usual cool and collected Sam Evans was currently slumped over on the floor next to his liquor cabinet with a bottle of Jack Daniels by his head. His dark blonde hair was mussed all over his head and there was a light stubble on his face. Even though he was drunk off his ass he managed to look as innocent as a little boy.

Mercedes wanted nothing more than to kick his ass.

All of the worry of the day including the near panic attack she had just endured was all for nothing. Sam wasn't hurt or sick or indisposed because of something out of his control, he was drunk. He chose to be this way. He chose to blow off a client. He chose to make her look like a fool. His need to knock some whiskey back was more important to him than anything else. The more Mercedes looked at Sam, who was now lightly snoring, the madder she got. Without thinking she started stalking towards where she imagined the kitchen would be, luckily for her she guessed right and she started going through his numerous cabinets to find a bowl. Finally after searching eight different cabinets she finally found one with bowls in them. After grabbing the one of the lowest shelf, Mercedes went over to the faucet and filled the bowl to the brim with cold water. As she stomped back into the living room she ignored the water splattering everywhere as it fell from the full bowl.

Once she was standing in front of Sam she felt a moment's hesitation. If she did this there would be a really good chance he would fire her on the spot but Mercedes realized she didn't care. She was so mad her hands were shaking. Thinking he was hurt or dead had scared her, and it scared her a hell of a lot more than she wanted to admit. Tears sprung into her eyes at the thought of losing him and it just made her madder that he even had the power to make her feel like that. Maybe getting fired would be the best thing so that she could be free of Sam Evans and whatever hold he had over her mind and body.

Before she could talk herself out of it Mercedes lifted up the bowl and dumped it over Sam's head. He started sputtering and choking and he was blinking his eyes rapidly to try and rid them of the water that was running down from his hair.

"Oh good, so you're not dead." Mercedes said coldly.

Sam looked up at her and his eyes widened. He looked terrified which made Mercedes happy, he needed to be terrified.

"What...wh...what the hell are you doing?" Sam sputtered up at her.

"Checking to make sure you weren't dead, you asshole!"

"Stop yelling!" Sam winced and grabbed his head. "I think I am dying."

"Oh shut up, you're not dying you're hung over. What kind of idiot drinks a half of bottle of Jack Daniels by himself on a near empty stomach? Did you even eat anything other than sushi yesterday?"

"No...I didn't even eat that."

Mercedes stared down at him incredulously, "you're a fucking idiot, and I can't deal with you right now."

She spun on her heel and made a move to head to the door but was stopped when she felt him tugging on the bottom of her wide-legged trousers.

"Please, don't go." He said pathetically.

"Ugh, please stop. After the hell you've put me through today the puppy dog look isn't going to do shit."

"What are you talking about?"

"What am I...ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS?"

"Oh God, please stop yelling."

"No, I will not stop yelling, you inconsiderate asshole. Did you completely forget about the meeting this morning? You know, the one you made such a big deal about me getting right? Yeah, well I did my part but what about you? You were nowhere to be found! Thank God your brother was around otherwise you would have lost one of your biggest clients! Do you even care or are you trying to run your Dad's good name into the ground?"

By the time Mercedes had finished her rant Sam had gotten to his feet. He looked a little green around the edges but somehow he still managed to look attractive.

"I'm sorry Mercedes. Last night...was hard. I found out some shocking information and I didn't handle it well. That's no excuse but I promise you my absence today wasn't because I didn't care."

"Was it about your fiancé?"

Sam looked up at her in shock.

"How did you know about my fian...ex-fiancé?"

"Matt told me."

"Of course," Sam said bitterly. "And what exactly did my good friend Matt tell you."

"Nothing, just that the woman you were at the restaurant with was your ex-fiancé...and that she left you at the altar." Mercedes answered quietly.

Sam started rubbing his temples as he chuckled darkly, "that motherfucker never ceases to amaze me. Quinn didn't leave me at the altar, I left her."

"Oh...I'm sorry, I didn't know. I was just going by what he told me."

"Yeah, well you're going to have to learn real quick that going by what Matt tells you is a bad idea."

Mercedes lowered her gaze, she felt like she was a child being chastised.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be, I'm not, but I don't want to talk about Quinn anymore. What I want is Tylenol and a nice long shower."

Since Mercedes knew she wasn't needed for either one of those things she assumed that was a dismissal. She picked up her purse from where she had dropped it on the ground and asked Sam would she be seeing him in the office today.

"No I'm not going in today."

Mercedes nodded her head and turned to walk towards the door.

"And neither are you."

Mercedes stopped in her tracks and turned around and asked,

"I beg your pardon."

"We need to talk..."

"About what happened at the meeting?"

"Among other things."

"Well that is a talk that we can have at the office, and if you don't want to do it today then we can to it tomorrow." Mercedes shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other.

"No, I want to talk today."

"Sir, this is highly inappropriate."

"What we did at that restaurant was highly inappropriate but I didn't see you complaining about that."

Mercedes looked at Sam in shock, did he seriously just throw their little make-out session up in her face? Well, two could play that game.

"To be honest, it wasn't nice but nothing worth getting worked up over." She shrugged.

Sam started to glare at her and she could notice the tell-tale tick start in his jaw.

"Don't lie, Mercedes it's not a good look."

"Who's lying? Don't flatter yourself Mr. Evans, it was nice but forgettable."

The lie had barely left her mouth before Sam had grabbed her right wrist and jerked her against his body. Mercedes' breath caught as her traitorous body melted against his.

"Say it again. Tell me now that what we shared was forgettable."

Mercedes hated him in that moment almost much as she hated herself. If this had been any other man she would have told him that his seduction skills were weak, slap him for daring to grab her, and then walk out with her head held high. With Sam she could do none of those things, she wanted to walk away but she knew she couldn't.

"I can't."

"That's what I thought." He smiled down at her. "I'm going to take a shower now and I want you to be here when I get out." At Mercedes' raised eyebrow he added, "Please?"

Against her better judgment Mercedes nodded. Sam smiled down at her before dropping a quick kiss on the cheek. He asked her to just give him a few minutes and then he headed towards what she assumed was his bedroom.

His bedroom.

The reality of where she was and who she was there with slowly sunk in to Mercedes. Before the private room incident the sexual tension between them was already high but now it was unbearable. It was like the worst itch in the world, and Mercedes knew that if she ever let Sam scratch it would be the best feeling ever. But she couldn't let him scratch, not today. After the emotional rollercoaster she had already been on this morning the last thing she needed to do was add sex on top of it. Her head was not in a good place right now and all of her resistance was down. If he made the slightest move then she would be all over him. It was all happening too fast and she wasn't sure if she were ready for it. Mercedes hated to go back on her word but today she was going to do it. She knew he would hate her for it but she hoped in time he would forgive her for lying.

She quickly gathered up her purse and tip-toed towards the elevator. She gave one regretful look back and prayed she wasn't making a huge mistake.

2 hours and a massage, manicure and banana split later Mercedes trudged up the first flight of her apartment stairs. She'd hoped that her little 'me time' day would have lifted her spirits but she still felt the cloud of guilt hanging over her from leaving Sam's place the way she did. She had expected to get a hateful phone call from him but so far her cell phone remained silent. Maybe he didn't care after all? Maybe that hangover of his finally caught up to him and he was sleeping it off? Maybe he was-

"So from now on when you promise to do something I should just assume you mean the opposite?"

Mercedes gave a startled gasp as she looked up and saw Sam sitting on the top step, right in front of her apartment.

"Wh...why are you...how did you find my apartment?"

"I had human resources pull your file and give it to me."

"Isn't that illegal?"

"Probably, but I run that company, they aren't going to tell me no."

Mercedes guilt was quickly starting to melt away. If he was determined to act like an asshole then she was glad she left when she did.

"Can you excuse me please; I'd like to get to my apartment."

"By all means, Miss Jones. Lead the way."

"No. I'm going to my apartment, you can go to yours."

"No. You promised me a talk and if you don't want to do it at my place then we're doing it at yours."

"Fine, but we're just talking."

"Absolutely. I promise."

Mercedes knew it was a dig at her but she didn't care. She wanted this talk over so he could be out of her space as soon as possible. Being in close confines with him made her jittery, among other things, and she didn't know how long she could be around him and remain in control.

As the made it towards the door Mercedes tried to ignore how Sam purposefully pressed himself into her and she unlocked the door.

"I apologize for the mess."

Mercedes place wasn't really messy but compared to the sterile environment that what Sam's penthouse it looked like a pigsty.

"It's nice, I like it. It's really...purple."

"Yeah," Mercedes laughed, "It's my favorite color and when I got this place my friend Kurt decided he was an interior designer for about a week and he found everything purple he could in New York and threw it in my apartment. It can be a bit much sometimes but I love him too much to take it down."

"That's sweet."

"Eh, don't give me too much credit, you haven't seen one of Kurt's bitch fits. They're legendary."

"I'll remember that." He chuckled.

"So, um...do you want anything to drink? I've got Captain Morgan's, Jose Cuervo, Remy Martin, and oh yeah, your good old friend Jack."

"Ha, ha. Water will be fine."

Mercedes went and got a bottle for each of them and then she went back in the living room to find him looking at a photo album on her coffee table. Unfortunately for her it happened to be the photo album from her trip to Miami with Kurt.

"Uh...here you go!" She flung the water bottle slightly out of Sam's reach so that his attention would be pulled away from the album long enough for her to grab it. Because of the talented bastard's catlike reflexes he was able to catch the water bottle, keep a hand on the album, and give her a knowing look all at the same time.

"We need to work on your arm, your aim is horrible."

"Really? I thought I threw that right at you."

"Mmm-hmmm..." His gaze went back down to the album and Mercedes panicked.

"How about I move that out of the way?" She reached for it but Sam's reflexes kicked in again and he snatched it away.

"Why can't I look at the album?"

"Because it's private."

"Do you normally leave private things on the coffee table where anybody can see them?"

"No, because most of my guest are invited or give me a head's up that they are coming. You just showed up."

Sam raised his eyebrows, "well if I remember correctly if you hadn't run off we would have been at my place and I never would have come over here."

He had her there.

"Fine, but in my defense I was 21, I was drunk and I can't be held responsible for what I do after a few tequila shots."

Sam smirked slightly, "that's good to know."

"Look I'm going to go change into something a bit more comfortable and then we can talk, okay?"

"Sounds good." Sam said but his eyes never left the album.

Once Mercedes went into her bedroom she went on the hunt for the least appealing clothes that she could find. It would be real hard for her to think about having sex with someone, even Sam, when she was wearing old yoga pants and a t-shirt two sizes too big for her. After she grabbed her hair into a clip and used eye makeup remover to get rid of all the mascara and eye shadow she headed back to the living room. Since Sam was sitting on the sofa still looking at the album Mercedes decided it was safer for her to sit in the love seat. She grabbed the pillow that was presently in the chair and she plopped down and hugged the pillow to her like a shield.

"So, are you ready to talk Sam?"

He glanced up and his eyes widened slightly at her appearance. Mercedes tried not to be offended because she did after all want to turn him off but it still hurt her feelings.

"You look cute."

"Wait...what?"

"I said you look cute, I'm used to you being all done up and sexy, it's nice to see you laid back and natural. I like it."

"Oh, well thank you." Mercedes tried to hide her smile but she couldn't anymore than she could stop the heat rising in her cheeks.

Sam smiled back at Mercedes and she breathed a sigh of relief when he closed the album and set back in the sofa. The sigh got caught in her throat when Sam patted the seat next to him on the sofa.

"Why don't you come over here?"

"I'm perfectly comfortable over here."

"Are you afraid of me?"

"Get over yourself Sam. Just because I like my space doesn't mean I'm afraid of you."

"Liar." He whispered but he didn't push it any further.

"So what happened? Why did you miss the meeting?"

"Like I said before, I got some bad news and I didn't handle it well."

"Ooookay...and?"

"And that's it. I fucked up by letting my emotions get the best of me but in my defense I was blindsided, it won't happen again."

"Sometimes emotions getting the best of you isn't necessarily a bad thing."

"Like in that private room?" He asked softly.

The question hung in the air because Mercedes didn't know how to respond. She had walked right smack into that one and she didn't know how to back out of it.

"That wasn't emotion that was..." She couldn't finish the sentence because she didn't know what it was.

"It was need. It was want. It was lust. It was emotion." Sam's voice grew huskier and huskier with every word.

"It was a mistake, is what it was. It was unprofessional and...and it should have never happened!" Mercedes knew she was lying but she was in survival mode now. He kept pushing so she had to push back.

"Do you honestly believe that?" He asked quietly "Did it honestly mean nothing to you?"

"I..I...I don't know. This talk is not...Sam, maybe you should just go."

Mercedes stood up to usher him towards the door but she had to stop when he grabbed her hand. She watched helplessly as he ran his thumb across the back of her hand over and over again. Mercedes gut clenched and she felt the tiny caress all the way to her core.

"Please stop Sam."

"I can't."

Mercedes looked into Sam's eyes and she saw the same confusion that she felt mirrored in his eyes. Neither one of them understood the pull between but they could no longer pretend like it wasn't there.

Sam slowly stood up until he was towering over Mercedes. He tugged on her shirt gently until their bodies were flush against each other and he leaned down and softly brushed his lips against hers. He moved his head back a little and looked down at her but he made no move to come any closer until he heard her whisper,

"Sam please..."

With that plea he pulled her impossibly closer and brought his mouth to hers. Just like before when their mouths made full contact with each other they both let out deep groans. Sam quickly sat back down on the couch and he brought Mercedes down on him. She instantly straddled his things but she began to feel sub-conscious about being too heavy. She started to pull away but Sam wouldn't let her.

"No," She whispered, "I gotta get up, I'm too heavy."

"What are you talking about?" Sam stilled her hips as she continued to try and get up. "You feel perfect to me, you're not too heavy."

Mercedes rolled her eyes, his words were sweet but any man's words are sweet when there is a possibility of sex in the very near future. She pulled his hands off her hips and stood back up.

"Thank you for the compliment but you don't have to lie. I know I'm a big girl, and I'm cool with it but I don't expect you to be."

Sam looked up at her in shock.

"When have I ever said anything about what size you are? I think you're fucking gorgeous and you're perfect just the way you are."

Mercedes shook her head and turned away.

"Hey, don't do that. Look at me."

Mercedes refused so Sam stood up and grabbed her face between his two hands.

"You're beautiful and I know you know it. You wouldn't be strutting in the office in all of those sexy outfits if you didn't. You know you're beautiful so why don't I get to know it too?"

Mercedes tried to blink back the tears that were threatening to fall down her cheeks.

Sam pressed a soft kiss to her forehead, followed by one of nose, and then finally her mouth.

"You're beautiful, Mercedes Jones."

Mercedes couldn't stop the tears that started flowing down her cheeks and over Sam's hands. He kissed her again gently and then pulled her back down on the couch. This time instead of straddling him she was sitting in his lap with her face buried into his neck as he murmured soft words into her hair and rubbed her back.

"Thank you," she whispered. She felt his smile as he pulled her closer into his arms. Mercedes felt her eyes getting heavy but she didn't want ruin the moment so she stayed in his embrace until she fell asleep.

A few hours later Mercedes woke to a sore neck and something poking her in the ass. By this time it was dark outside so her apartment was almost pitch black, save for a street light shining inside and a Scentsy lamp glowing in the corner. Once the initial haze of confusion subsided Mercedes realized that she was at home on her couch asleep with her boss.

She thought back to how they got like this and she remembered her little melt-down about her size and the sweet way he snapped her out of it. He was right she knew she was beautiful but sometimes she had her moments where she felt self-conscious about her size. She didn't need his affirmation but it was still nice to get it.

Mercedes tried to be gentle as she turned around to look at him but it was all for naught because just as she got settled he whispered, "you are the worst sleeper."

"I am not!" She whispered back.

He chuckled softly, "yes you are, I'm surprised you didn't fall off the couch with all the rolling you did."

"Well, why didn't I roll off?"

"Because I had you, I wasn't going to let you fall. Besides, I can think of worst things to do with my time than have you moving against me."

Mercedes laid her head back down on Sam's outstretched arm and raised her left hand and started running her index finger across his lips.

"You know these are not normal, right?"

"Stop talking about my lips!"

"Awww, did I hurt your feelings?" She teased.

"Yes, now kiss them and make it better."

"Damn, you're bossy."

"That's how I get shit done."

Mercedes laughed and leaned forward and gave him a tiny peck on his lips.

"That's not good enough, you really hurt my feelings."

"You poor baby."

He stuck his generous lips out in a pout and Mercedes decided it was as good as time as any to get the upper hand back. She leaned forward again but instead of a peck she sucked Sam's bottom lip into her mouth and ran her tongue against it.

"Fuck, Mercedes..." he groaned into her mouth.

Suddenly Mercedes was on her back and her left leg was wrapped around him. They kissed for a while before he started grinding his pelvis into hers. Because of her thin yoga pants and non-existent panties she felt every inch of him moving against her and she knew it wouldn't take long for her to explode.

"Sam...oh God...Sam, I need you...God please...you have to...uuugghhh..."

Mercedes wrapped her leg tighter against Sam's and he got the memo. The grinding motion became harder and faster as he moved his face into her neck. While everything felt so good it was suddenly hot...too damn hot and she needed to take something off. She began tugging on her shirt and she only had to do it once before Sam was happily ripping it off her. Her bra came next and from the sound Sam made he was very happy with what he uncovered. She pulled off his shirt and even though she couldn't see it clearly she could still feel the ripples of his abs pressed up against her soft stomach. Once they both were naked from the waist up it was like they made an unspoken agreement to slow down. No words were spoken but the rough grinding soon slowed to a soft, but satisfying nudge here and there and their long kisses became small pecks and tiny tugs at the skin.

Sam sat up on his knees and looked down at Mercedes and she had a moment of self-consciousness that quickly went away from the look in his eyes. He was looking at her as if she was the most beautiful thing in the world and she felt it all the way to her bones. Mercedes reached her arms up to him,

"Come here."

He laid back on top of her and they stared at each other for a moment before he dipped his head down to kiss her again. This time there was no more languishing moments, they wanted more and they wanted it now.

Mercedes stared up at the ceiling as she felt Sam start to kiss down her neck and then her chest and then her stomach until finally he was at the elastic waistband of her yoga pants. Before she could squeak out a protest Sam had yanked her yoga pants and panties off in one clean motion. Mercedes didn't know if she felt comfortable with him going down on her so soon but the feeling quickly faded away at the first long lick from Sam's tongue.

Her head jerked back and hit the arm of the couch but she didn't feel any pain. If she thought Sam's lips were magical they didn't have a damn thing on his tongue. He was relentless and by the time he added his fingers she was a sobbing mess.

"Please...please...please..."

Instead of taking mercy on her and finishing the job he started to kiss his way up her body. By the time he got to her lips she almost turned her head away because she was pissed but he gently grabbed her face and said,

"Taste how good you are baby."

Normally something like that would really never be her style but she couldn't resist his hypnotic words.

She ran her tongue lightly over his lips and she tasted the slightly salty sweetness that was all her. At her surprised look Sam smiled down at her and said, "Don't be so surprised you taste so damn good."

She laughed and sucked his bottom lip into her mouth. She gently bit it as she ran her hand down his abs until she reached the buttons of his jeans. She popped them open and slid her hands over the very impressive bulge in his boxer briefs.

"Fuuuuuck..." he breathed.

Mercedes started rubbing him slowly but she quickly became impatient and ordered him to take it all off. He laughed at her bossiness but quickly followed her instructions. When he was done and getting back into position Mercedes' eyes were drawn to the outline of Sam's very large, and very erect dick.

"I don't think that's going to fit."

He laughed, "Don't worry about that baby, I promise we'll make it fit."

He pulled a condom from his wallet and quickly rolled it on. He positioned the head at her entrance and he looked at her one last time.

"Are you sure you want to do this? Because there will be no going back and I know that this one time won't be enough for either of us. If we start this...I don't know if we'll ever be able to finish it."

Mercedes knew that Sam wasn't just being overly-dramatic, what they had, whatever it was, wasn't going to go away anytime soon...if ever. This wasn't going to be some one night stand, that they were both sure of, but what it was going to be was anyone's guess.

"I'm sure. I want you."

Sam said nothing else as he slowly started to slide inside her. Because it had been so long for Mercedes she was incredibly tight which slowed down Sam's progress. After what seemed like forever he was finally in all the way and he practically collapsed on her chest.

"God, you feel so good."

Mercedes smiled against his neck as she stroked his hair.

"Are you okay?" Sam asked worriedly.

Mercedes nodded into his neck and immediately after she felt him move up to his elbows and slowly start to move. At first it did hurt a bit but the pain was quickly replaced by a knot of pleasure building in her stomach. Sam laid his forehead on hers and she felt the quick bursts of air he was breathing out through clenched teeth. She knew that he was holding back for her so she grabbed one of his hands and pulled it down to where they were joined.

"Finish it..."

He intertwined their hands and pressed them against her clit. Within seconds she was moaning and shaking as she clenched around him. Watching her lose it was enough for Sam and he succumbed to the feeling that had building in him.

When they were finished they both lay there and try to get control of their breathing.

"That was..."

"Yeah, I know."

They both looked at each other and began to laugh. The stress of the day was a distant memory and the two of them just wanted to enjoy being in each other's arm.

"I think we need to move to the bedroom because if we stay here then we'll regret it in the morning."

"Are you inviting me into your bedroom?"

"You don't have to come if you don't want to."

"I'm just giving you a head's up because earlier you made such a fuss about me not being invited. I just want to be sure I'm wanted."

"Oh believe me, you're definitely wanted. Now get your ass in my bedroom."

"The boss thing looks good on you."

"Mmmmm" Mercedes hummed as she kissed him softly, "it looks good on you too."

He smiled down at her gently, "alright Ms. Jones lead the way."

She grabbed his hand and led him to her bedroom. Sam went to the bathroom to clean up and dispose of the condom while Mercedes pulled back the sheets. After Sam finished in the bathroom, Mercedes quickly did her business and returned to find Sam already in the bed. After a soft kiss they both got settled in and Sam was asleep within seconds. It took Mercedes a little bit longer to fall asleep because there was something in the back of her mind that was bothering her but she couldn't think of what it was. Because her body was so tired and worn out she couldn't even be bothered to try and think of what was on her mind. Clearly it wasn't important, otherwise she would have remembered it.

It wasn't until she was unceremoniously snatched from her dreams by the sound of a banshee—or Kurt, she couldn't tell which—screaming from her living room that she realized what she was trying to remember last night: lock the dead bolt because Kurt doesn't have a key for that and can't just walk in.

As Kurt's wail continued on Mercedes glanced over at the empty spot next to her on the bed. It seems that Kurt and Sam finally got the chance to meet.

It was going to be a long day.


	12. Sam vs. Kurt

She was gone.

Sam looked around his penthouse in disbelief. She had actually left, even after she promised she wouldn't. His chest suddenly felt tight but he couldn't quite place the emotion. He didn't know if he was hurt, pissed off, or a little bit of both.

She left him. She snuck out like a thief in the night the second he had his back turned. She didn't even have the decency to tell him to his face. She just left.

The more he thought about it the more he realized he wasn't confused about his feelings any longer because he knew exactly what he felt. He was pissed off. He was so pissed off that he could literally feel his blood starting to boil. Who did she think she was? Nobody left Sam Evans hanging without an explanation. If she thought that she was going to walk out on him and not have to explain herself, she had another thing coming.

He went back into the bathroom and jerked open his medicine cabinet. He reached in and grabbed a bottle of Aleve. He was tempted to take the whole bottle in hopes of making the pounding in his head go away but he settled for three. He went into his bedroom and grabbed a bottle of water out of the mini fridge by his bed. He threw the pills in his mouth and downed half the bottle of water. He then moved on to find a suitable outfit for his unintentional day off. The first thing that he came across that wasn't a suit was an old pair of faded jeans and a black t-shirt. After he threw those on he called his office to talk to his brother.

"Evans and Evans Advertising this is Glenda Halbright speaking, how may I help you?"

"Glenda, this Sam is my brother in?"

"Oh, Mr. Evans! No, sir I'm sorry, you're brother left a little while ago."

"Figures." Sam muttered under his breath.

"Did he say when he was coming back?"

"Actually sir, I got the impression that he wasn't coming back. He had a...um, lady friend with him and he told me to have a nice weekend."

Sam rolled his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. He knew he shouldn't be surprised but sometimes the total lack of respect that Stevie had for their father's company astounded him.

"Will you be coming in sir?"

"No, Glenda I won't be. I still feel a little bit under the weather."

"Do you know if Ms. Jones will be coming back?"

"Uh, no. I decided to give her the rest of the day off as well."

"Oh, okay sir. Can I do anything else for you?"

"Yes, could you connect me with human resources?"

"Yes, sir."

"Once you get done with that you can also take the rest of day off."

"Thank you very much, sir."

"It's my pleasure. Have a good weekend, Glenda."

"You too, sir. I'm connecting you right now."

Sam only had to sit through two rings before someone picked up.

"Hello, this is Anna how many I help you."

"Hello Anna, this is Sam Evans I need you to pull a file for me."

"Uh..okay, I mean, yes sir. Who's file did you need?" Anna asked nervously.

"I need to get the address of one of my employees. Can you do that for me?"

"Yes, sir. What's the name?"

"Mercedes Jones."

"Just one moment, sir."

Sam listened to the click clack of the computer as Anna pulled up the information.

"Mr. Evans?"

"Yes?"

"Miss Jones lives at 1500 Meadow Lane Drive in apartment 34B. Do you need any other information?"

"No, Anna that will do just fine. Thank you and have a nice day."

"You too, sir."

After Sam hung up he tried calling his brother but the sorry son of a bitch wouldn't answer. More than likely he was balls deep inside of his latest 'lady friend' and couldn't be bothered to pick up with phone. Instead of stressing about what or who his brother was doing he decided to turn his attention back to Mercedes. He thought about calling her but he figured a sneak attack would be better.

He grabbed his phone, wallet, keys and the scrap of paper that he wrote Mercedes address on and left his apartment. Once he got downstairs he gave the doorman a quick wave before heading across the street to the parking garage where his car was housed.

It took him over an hour to find the apartment complex because he got in a traffic detour that completely through his GPS off. When he finally got to her apartment the headache that had begun to fade was back with a vengeance and he was thoroughly frustrated. If this had been anybody else he would have given up a long time ago and just chewed them out at work on Monday, but he couldn't do that with Mercedes. He wanted to talk to her and he was going to talk to her today no matter how frustrated it made him.

He looked around but didn't see her car so he assumed she wasn't home yet. After walking up the two flights of steps and knocking on her door without an answer he realized his guess was correct. Because he was not in the mood to walk down two flights of stairs just to walk back up them when Mercedes arrived he decided to just park it on the top step and wait. He hoped she came soon because he was in no mood to sit on the ground for a long period of time.

Luckily for Sam somebody was finally on his side for the first time in over 24 hours and in only a few minutes time Mercedes was slowly walking up the steps with her head down. The frustration and anger all came to a head as he watched her take her sweet time coming up the stairs.

"So from now on when you promise to do something I should just assumed you mean the opposite?"

The shocked look on Mercedes' face when she popped her head up would have almost been comical if he hadn't been so pissed off.

"Wh...why are you...how did you find my apartment?"

"I had human resources pull your file and give it to me."

"Isn't that illegal?"

Was it? Sam didn't know for sure and he didn't exactly care at the moment.

"Probably, but I run that company, they aren't going to tell me no."

Sam watched as the shocked look on Mercedes face slowly melted away into one of anger. She was clearly not impressed with his attitude but in that moment he didn't really give a damn.

"Can you excuse me please? I'd like to get to my apartment."

Did she really think she could just blow him off? Or did she honestly think he came all this way just so they could have a quick chat on her step? Sam knew Mercedes wasn't stupid so it was clear she was trying to push him aside again but he wasn't having it.

"By all means, Miss Jones. Lead the way."

"No," she snapped, "I'm going to my apartment, you can go to yours."

"No," he snapped back, "you promised me a talk and if you don't want to do it at my place then we're doing it at yours."

Mercedes looked like she wanted to argue but he guess she thought better of it because she said,

"Fine, but we're just talking."

"Absolutely. I promise." He said in return sarcastically.

Mercedes rolled her eyes at him but she didn't say anything more as she made her way to her front door. Once there she fumbled with her keys before finally shoving them into the keyhole. Sam knew he was crowding her space but it didn't care, it had been too long since he felt her body against his.

Once the door was unlocked Mercedes practically flung herself into the room and away from him.

"I apologize for the mess."

Sam quickly surveyed the room and the most predominate thought he had was purple. It was everywhere there wasn't a surface in her apartment that wasn't either purple or had something purple on it. Even though he wasn't a particular fan of the color itself he had to admit that somehow it all worked. Mercedes' home even in all of its purpleness seemed like a very inviting and homey place to be.

After getting a quick rundown from Mercedes on how her friend Kurt brought a purple bomb from the City and let it blow up in her apartment she then went straight into a snarky list of beverages that she had to offer. He had to laugh at her choices but he decided to stick with water for now and probably forever after that considering how he felt at the moment.

Once she went off to get the water Sam sat down on the couch and his eyes were instantly drawn to a photo album that was on his kitchen table. When he opened it he found Mercedes' smiling face pressed up against a man's face. He couldn't contain the instant jolt of jealously he felt at seeing her so happy with another man. The feeling didn't quite go away even though with the more pictures he looked at the more he started to realize that the 'other man' was more than likely just her friend Kurt. It wasn't until he saw a picture of the guy dressed like the woman on the Chiquita bananas that he was a 100% sure.

He was just getting into the section that looked like it was all taken at a wild party when he saw a bottle of water hurtling at him from the corner of his eye. Luckily for him he had quick reflexes otherwise that bottle would have clocked him right in the eye. He gave Mercedes a knowing look as her eye darted nervously towards the album.

"We need to work on your arm, your aim is horrible."

"Really? I thought I threw that right at you." Clearly they needed to work on her lying as well because she sucked at that too.

"Mmmm-hmmmm..." Sam muttered and his eyes went back to the album. If Mercedes was willing to assault him with a water bottle there must have been something juicy in it.

"How about I move that out of the way?" He saw her small brown hands reach for it but he snatched it back just out of her reach.

"Why can't I look at the album?"

"Because it's private."

"Do you normally leave private things on the coffee table were anybody can see them?"

"No, because most of my guests are invited or give me a head's up that they are coming. You just showed up."

Sam raised his eyebrows at her, she certainly had him there but he wasn't going to let her know it.

"Well, if I remember correctly if you hadn't run off we would have been at my place and I never would have come over here."

He saw he narrow her eyes slightly and he knew he had her.

She sighed and looked down at the album regretfully, "fine, but in my defense I was 21, I was drunk, and I can't be held responsible for what I do after a few tequila shots."

Sam's mind went immediately to the gutter as he thought of all the things he could get her to do. He smirked up at her and said, "That's good to know."

She told him that she wanted to change into something more comfortable, which did nothing to help get his mind out of the gutter because his first thought went automatically to lingerie.

Once she was gone he turned back to the album and he quickly found that Mercedes wasn't exaggerating about her warning. She wasn't falling over drunk or showing off her breasts but she was clearly feeling no pain. There was a looseness about her that he had never seen but dearly hoped he would one day. He liked the sexy, straight-laced, secretary look that she pulled off so well but he couldn't wait to see her completely undone.

He didn't have to wait long.

He heard her pad lightly back into the living room before plopping down on the love seat across the room.

"So, are you ready to talk Sam?"

He glanced at her almost absent-mindedly but he did double-take when he took in her appearance. Her hair was haphazardly on top of her head with a clip, leaving her neck exposed. Her face was devoid of makeup with the exception of a little bit of dark berry lipstick that faintly stained her lips. And from what he could tell about her outfit from the little bit he would see from the enormous pillow blocking her she was wearing a very large t-shirt and a pair of yoga pants that had seen better days.

She was gorgeous.

Sam didn't want to freak her out but going on about how beautiful she looked when it was obvious that she had actively tried not to look attractive so he settled for playful instead.

"You look cute."

"Wait...what?"

"I said you look cute, I'm used to you being all done up and sexy, it's nice to see you laid back and natural. I like it."

"Oh, well thank you."

Sam couldn't help but smile when he saw Mercedes trying desperately to keep her smile hidden. He felt like he was finally making some headway with her so he decided to press his luck. He pushed the album aside and patted the seat next to him on the sofa.

"Why don't you come over here?

The tiny smile on Mercedes' face quickly evaporated.

"I'm perfectly comfortable over here."

"Are you afraid of me?"

"Get over yourself Sam. Just because I like my space doesn't mean I'm afraid of you."

"Liar." He whispered. The slight tremor in her voice was a dead giveaway, she might not want to admit that he affected her but her body didn't lie. He wanted to push further but he decided to give her a little break...for now.

"So what happened? Why did you miss the meeting?"

Sam's thoughts immediately darkened at the reasons why he missed the meeting. He knew that he told Mercedes they would talk but the last thing he wanted to talk about was that.

"Like I said before, I got some bad news and I didn't handle it well." He said abruptly.

"Ooookay...and?"

"And that's it. I fucked up by letting my emotions get the best of me but in my defense I was blindsided, it won't happen again." Sam mentally cursed himself for trying to explain himself to Mercedes. This conversation shouldn't be happening and if he let it continue he would end up spilling his guts about everything.

"Sometimes emotions getting the best of you isn't necessarily a bad thing."

"Like in the private room?"

Sam finally saw his opening and his salvation. He could bring up what he really wanted to talk about while simultaneously getting out of the quicksand that was the current conversation.

The tension in the room was heavy after his whispered comment.

"That wasn't emotion that was..." Mercedes' voice faded away as she clearly tried to think of something to say that would diminish what they had in that room. Since Mercedes couldn't find any words, Sam provided some of his own.

"It was need. It was want. It was lust. It was emotion."

"It was a mistake, is what it was. It was unprofessional and...and it should have never happened!"

Sam knew that Mercedes was lying but hearing her say it never should have happened still hurt.

"Do you honestly believe that?" He asked quietly "Did it honestly mean nothing to you?"

"I..I...I don't know. This talk is not...Sam, maybe you should just go."

Sam watched as Mercedes got and made a move towards the door but before she could walk past him he grabbed her hand and forced her to stop. The feel of her soft hand in his was so enticing that he slowly started to rub circles on the back of it with his thumb.

"Please stop Sam." Mercedes said with a strangled voice.

"I can't." He whispered back. It was the truth even if he wanted to let go of her in that moment he didn't think he would be able to.

Sam felt Mercedes looking down at him so he looked up and met her gaze. The confusion swirling around in her dark gaze was the same confusion he felt inside. Neither one of them understood the attraction but as far as Sam was concerned it was time for them to stop analyzing it.

He stood up until he was standing over Mercedes' short frame and he tugged her ridiculously large t-shirt until he could feel her entire body pressed against his. Sam wanted to remember this moment so he took his sweet time bending towards her mouth before slightly brushing his closed lips against her. After a few passes back and forth Sam pulled back to look down at Mercedes. Her lips were slightly parted and her eyes were closed, she looked so inviting but Sam decided he wasn't going to make another movie until she asked for it. Thankfully he didn't have to wait too long.

"Sam please..."

The soft pleading tone in Mercedes' voice was Sam's undoing. He wrapped his right arm around Mercedes and pulled her so close it was impossible to tell where one of them ended and the other began. They both groaned loudly when their lips met again and neither one of them wasted any time opening their mouths so that their tongues could get reacquainted.

Sam sat back down on the couch and pulled Mercedes down on top of him. The feeling of her on top of him was one that he had every intention of feeling as many times as possible as long as he could. He shifted her so that her warm heat was directly above his dick. He thrust upwards experimentally one time and groaned into her mouth at how perfect she felt. He was just about to do it again when he felt her pushing at his chest and trying to get away. At first he was confused and thought maybe he misread her and was going faster than she was comfortable with. But the confusion quickly turned to anger when he heard why she wanted to get up.

"No, I gotta get up, I'm too heavy."

"What are you talking about?" Sam asked angrily. He grabbed Mercedes hips to hold her still so she would stop trying to get up.

"You feel perfect to me, you're not too heavy."

Sam watched as Mercedes rolled her eyes at him. She was putting up a sassy front but it still didn't completely hide the self-doubt underneath. She pulled his hands off her hips and stood up.

"Thank you for the compliment but you don't have to lie. I know I'm a big girl, and I'm cool with it but I don't expect you to be."

Sam couldn't believe what he was hearing. He was well aware that Mercedes wasn't a size 2 but that made her even more appealing to him. Why would he want sticks and bones when he could have curves?

"When have I ever said anything about what size you are? I think you're fucking gorgeous and you're perfect just the way you are."

Mercedes' face slightly crumpled at his words and she turned her back to him.

"Hey, don't do that. Look at me."

She refused to turn around so Sam stood back up and turned her around and grabbed her face between his hands.

"You're beautiful and I know you know it. You wouldn't be strutting in the office in all of those sexy outfits if you didn't. You know you're beautiful so why don't I get to know it too?"

Sam's heart clenched as he watched her try and blink back tears. He hated seeing her sad, especially over something that she had no reason to be sad about. He pressed his lips softly to her forehead, then to her nose, and finally her lips.

"You're beautiful Mercedes Jones."

Sam swallowed the lump in his throat as he felt Mercedes tears on his fingertips. He kissed her once more before sitting back down on the couch and settling her on his lap. He whispered "you're beautiful" into her hair over and over and he prayed that she heard him and believed it. Finally after what seemed like forever to Sam he heard her whisper, "Thank you," softly into his neck. He smiled and pulled her closer, and before long his eyelids became heavy and he realized that Mercedes' breathing on his neck had become deep and even.

Sam laughed to himself softly, he had never had a woman fall asleep on him before but he was starting to realize that Mercedes Jones was unlike every other woman he had ever been with.

With some maneuvering Sam was able to get stretched out with Mercedes so that they were both able to lie on the couch somewhat comfortably. As he lay behind his sleeping beauty he ran his finger up and down her arm. Her smooth skin had the effect of an Ambien because after watching the sixth or seventh pass of his finger against her brown skin he was out like a light.

Hours later when Sam awoke he was instantly discombobulated. It was almost pitch dark, aside from a few beams of light, so he knew that he wasn't at home but for a second he couldn't remember where he was. It wasn't until he heard a slight moan and felt something rubbing against him that he remembered that he was at Mercedes' apartment and they had both fallen asleep on her couch. Now that he knew where he was he could go back to focusing on the incredible sensation that was currently going on in his pants. The gentlemanly side of him knew that he should probably wake Mercedes up because it was clear that she wasn't aware of what she was doing. The not so gentlemanly part of him was more than happy to let her continue with what she was doing for as long as she wanted to. Unfortunately for him the little sub-conscious joyride that he was getting from Mercedes was not meant to be because she woke up.

It was clear that she had the same 'where the hell am I' reaction that he had when he first woke up, but she quickly shook it off. He watched in silent amusement as Mercedes tried her best to turn towards him without waking him up. He knew he was being an ass for not telling her he was already awake but she was so cute he couldn't help it.

Once she got all settled he whispered to her, "You are the worst sleeper."

She jumped a little bit at finding out that he was awake before whispering back, "I am not!"

He chuckled softly, "yes you are, I'm surprised you didn't fall off the couch with all the rolling you did."

"Well, why didn't I roll off?"

"Because I had you and I wasn't going to let you fall. Besides, I can think of worst things to do with my time than have you moving against me."

Sam gulped a little as the words left his mouth. After what had happened earlier he swore to himself that he would keep the seduction at a minimum but here he was already hitting on her.

Sam was just about to apologize when he felt her lay her head down on the arm he had outstretched above them. She brought one of her small fingers up to his lips and Sam had to close his eyes at the little tingles he felt as she ran her index finger lightly back and forth over his lips.

"You know these are not normal, right?"

Sam's eyes popped open, "Stop talking about my lips!"

"Awww, did I hurt your feelings?"

"Yes, now kiss them and make it better."

Mercedes laughed, "Damn, you're bossy."

"That's how I get shit done."

Mercedes laughed again before leaning forward and giving Sam a tiny peck, but he wasn't having it.

"That's not good enough, you really hurt my feelings."

"You poor baby."

Sam played along and stuck his mouth out in a pout. When Mercedes leaned forward again he was expecting the same type of tiny peck he got before so he wasn't prepared in the least when she sucked his bottom lip into her mouth and licked it.

"Fuck, Mercedes..." Sam groaned.

All thought of going slow evaporated into thin air as Sam quickly rolled Mercedes onto her back. He had that instant thought again that maybe he was going to fast but it was quickly gone once he felt Mercedes wind her leg around his back. They began kissing again but this time it was messy. There were lips and tongues everywhere and the slurping and sucking noises were driving Sam insane with lust. He began grinding his pelvis into Mercedes and he knew that she could feel every inch of him because it wasn't long before she was clutching and grabbing and pulling his hair and murmuring,

"Sam...oh god...Sam, I need you...God please...you have to...uuugghhh..."

Mercedes' leg was now wrapped around him like a vice grip and Sam could feel himself hitting the sweet spot even through four layers of clothing. He had never been one for dry humping but in this case there was nothing dry about what they were doing at all. Even though it wasn't the real thing he knew he would be satisfied if that was all he got tonight.

Mercedes, on the other hand, did not agree.

Before he knew it she was tugging on her shirt and while Sam wasn't a rocket scientist he wasn't slow either. He grabbed the hem of the enormous shirt Mercedes was wearing and flung it across the room. Next, he reached behind her and quickly ripped her bra off and sent it sailing in the same general direction as the t-shirt. He sat back on his knees in and took in the sight of Mercedes topless and laid out on the couch for him. His pants tightened painfully and he knew that he couldn't take too much more. Mercedes obviously agreed because she sat up and pulled off his shirt and ran her hands lightly down his abs before lying back down in a clear invitation to come get some. Since Sam was never one to turn down an invite to a good time he quickly positioned his body back on top of hers. At first his plan was to devour every inch of her but once they got settled and really started to feel each other they both slowed down and just savored. For what seemed like eternity there was nothing but soft kisses, soft words and soft caresses. Even though Sam continued to move against Mercedes it was just a gentle wave instead of an intense rocking motion.

Once again the feeling started to become too much so Sam sat back on his knees again to give himself a minute to calm down. He wanted to go slow for her but he had no reached the point where he wanted to be as deep inside of her as he could possibly get. As he continued to look down at her he could almost make at Mercedes' soft smile before she reached towards him and said,

"Come here."

Since it was becoming very obvious that he couldn't deny her anything he was back on top of her in a second. He hoped her words were an invitation to finish this because that was exactly what he was going to do.

He began kissing her again but the time for savoring was over. He moved his lips roughly over hers and she responded in kind. He began to kiss down her neck before moving down to her chest and on to her stomach. Once there he gave a quick kiss to her stomach right above her waistband right before grabbing it with both hands and ripping the pants and the panties from Mercedes' body. She gave a squeak of protest but Sam didn't pay attention. He gave one long lick to her pussy and he felt her thighs tighten underneath his hands. He went to work and alternated between licks and tiny nibbles to her clit. By the time he stuck two fingers inside of her she was writhing all over the couch and crying and begging him to finish. Sam almost thought of giving into her but he decided against it and started to kiss his way back up her body.

Once he got to her mouth Mercedes tried to turn away. Sam held in his chuckle so that he wouldn't further piss Mercedes off, it was clear that she didn't like being teased.

"Taste how good you are baby."

Mercedes looked at him doubtfully for a second but he just raised a challenging eyebrow back at her. She glared up at him for a minute before grabbing his head and bringing closer to hers. She licked her tongue lightly over her lips and then gave Sam a surprised look. He smiled back down at her and told her not to be so surprised that she tasted so damn good.

She laughed back in obvious delight before once again sucking Sam's bottom lip into her mouth and making his toes curl. She continued to bite and lick at his lips while she ran her hand down his body towards his jeans. Once she was at the waistband of his jean she popped open his buttons and managed to slide her hands over the throbbing bulge in his boxer briefs.

"Fuuuuck..." Sam hissed out between clenched teeth.

Mercedes was rubbing him slowly but it was clear that between the size of his swollen dick and the tightness of his pants she wasn't able to do much. She ordered him to take his pants off and he was happy to oblige.

Once he was completely naked he looked down to find Mercedes staring at his dick in amazement.

"I don't think that's going to fit."

Sam was going to make sure it fit if it were the last thing he ever did.

"Don't worry about that baby, I promise we'll make it fit."

He reached down to where his pants where on the floor and quickly got his wallet out and pulled out his 'emergency' condom. He rolled it on and positioned the head at Mercedes' dripping wet entrance.

He looked back up at her one more time because he needed to be sure, he needed them both to be sure. He didn't know why it was so important to him because it was never important before he needed to know before they started this thing between him.

"Are you sure you want to do this? Because there will be no going back and I know that this one time won't be enough for either of us. If we start this...I don't know if we'll ever be able to finish it."

Sam held his breath as he waited and he let out with a whoosh of relief when he heard,

"I'm sure. I want you."

As far as Sam was concerned no other words were needed so he slowly started to slide into Mercedes. She was so tight Sam worried for a second that he might not fit, but with a little agonizing work he finally made his way in. Once he was as deep in her as he could go he collapsed on her chest.

"God you feel so good," he murmured in her ear.

He felt her smile into his neck as she rubbed his hair. Even though she seemed okay she still hadn't said anything and Sam was starting to get worried.

"Are you okay?"

He felt her nod against him and he took that as a sign that he continue. He got up on his elbows and slowly started to pull out and push back in. He watched Mercedes' face carefully and the first few times he did it she winced but the more he did it the more he could tell the pain was fading and the pleasure was building.

For a while the kept a steady, rhythmic pace but soon Sam's thrusts became uneven and erratic and Mercedes slow rubs became frantic clutches. It was clear that neither one of them was going to last much longer but Sam was determined to hold out until Mercedes came first. The feeling of her milking him dry was almost more than he could handle but he didn't care if he had to pull out completely and take a breather, Mercedes was going to get her pleasure before he got his.

Thankfully for him Mercedes could feel his pain because she grabbed his hand and pulled it down to where they were joined. She whispered breathlessly in his ear,

"Finish it..."

Sam wanted them to do it together so he intertwined his fingers with hers and pressed them against her clit. Within seconds she was moaning loudly as her pussy clenched on his dick. Watching Mercedes finally lose all control was the thing that finally put Sam over the edge. He roughly called out her name one last time before collapsing on her body.

They both lay there breathing harshly and trying to collect their scattered thoughts.

"That was..."

"Yeah, I know."

They both looked at each other and laughed. Sam couldn't remember the last time he laughed like this or even who he did it with. Everything in his life seemed to be stressing him out lately so it was nice to relieve some of it.

Sam could feel his eyelids growing heavy again when Mercedes' voice snapped him out of his imminent slumber.

"I think we need to move to the bedroom because if we stay her then we'll regret it in the morning."

Sam was shocked, he thought she would ask him to leave before she'd ask him to stay.

"Are you inviting me into your bedroom?"

"You don't have to come if you don't want to."

"I'm just giving you a head's up because earlier you made such a fuss about me not being invited. I just want to be sure I'm wanted." Sam couldn't resist the cheeky dig.

"Oh believe me, you're definitely wanted." She said huskily, "now get your ass in my bedroom."

"The boss thing looks good on you."

"Mmmmm." Mercedes hummed, "it looks good on you too."

Sam couldn't help but smile at that.

"Alright, Miss Jones lead the way."

She grabbed his hand and led him into her very loud and purple bedroom. She pointed him in the direction of the bathroom and quickly cleaned himself up and disposed of the condom. While he was in there she had pulled back the sheets so while she handled her business he quickly crawled in between the sheets. A few minutes later Mercedes was crawling into bed and they shared a sweet but quick kiss. Everything about their interaction was very domestic and it made Sam feel happy but he didn't want to dwell too much on that because it was too much too soon.

Sleep quickly claimed Sam and even though he had slept for hours before already on the couch he still got a full night's sleep and woke up more rested than he had in longer than he could remember. The bright light from the sun streaming in his face was the thing that woke him up, but his growling stomach was the thing that forced him out of bed. When was the last time he ate? The sushi restaurant? As if Sam had directed that question to his stomach it growled in response. Sam wanted to lay in bed for a while with Mercedes but the ache in his stomach was actually painful—he had to get up and get something to eat. He glanced over at Mercedes and thought about waking her but she looked too peaceful. He decided to just go find something to eat and make enough for both of them and serve her breakfast in bed.

Once Sam left the bedroom he made a beeline straight for Mercedes' kitchen and as he rummaged through the refrigerator and the cabinets he made a depressing discovery—Mercedes had no food. What did she eat? Air? She had cereal but no milk. She had peanut butter but no jelly, or bread, or crackers or anything else to put it on. She had a cabinet full of seasonings but no actual food to season. He wondered briefly if he wasn't paying her enough and he was actually worried that she didn't have enough to survive. That worry quickly evaporated when he opened her refrigerator and found it stuffed with TV dinners and frozen pizzas. Sam shook his head and chuckled lightly, Mercedes continued to surprise him because he didn't take her as the frozen food type.

Although Sam was tempted to just pop a frozen pizza in the oven he wanted something fresh. He had passed a farmers' market on his way to Mercedes' place yesterday so he decided to go back there to pick up some items to make breakfast.

He made his way back into the living room and he was in the process of pulling up his pants when he heard it. There doorknob to the front door was wiggling and he could hear somebody cursing on the other side. He grabbed the first 'weapon' he could find, which just happened to be a long purple umbrella, and he waited for the intruder to make his way in. After what seemed like 5 minutes the person on the other end was finally able to force the door open.

"I told that girl that she needed to get this damn door fixed." The intruder mumbled to himself, "what if some killer is chasing her up the stairs and she needs to get in her house quickly? She won't be able to do it because of this damn doo-AAAAAAHHHHHH!"

Sam almost dropped his umbrella at the ungodly noise that came out of the assailants' mouth. All of a sudden he felt himself get pelted by little round objects that were sort of hard but not really. He looked down at one that had hit him square in the chest and realized that they were just bagels. He was being pummeled by a bunch of bagels.

"HELP! HELP! HELP!"

Sam was brought back to reality by the smoke alarm like quality of bagel thrower's scream. After getting a good look at the person he realized that it was the guy from Mercedes' photo album on the coffee table. Once he realized the guy wasn't an actual threat to Mercedes' safety, or anybody else's for that matter, Sam lowered the umbrella.

"HELP! HELP! HELP!"

"Please stop screaming." Sam tried to be calm.

"MERCEDES? Oh God...MERCEDES?" Kurt looked around frantically, "You killed her didn't you? SHE'S DEAD ISN'T SHE?"

"Oh God." Sam rolled his eyes. His perfect morning was officially shot to hell and the raging headache from yesterday morning was back in full force.

"I'm calling the police!"

"Mercedes isn't dead, she's sleeping."

"No, she's not."

Sam and Kurt both looked over to see a sleepy and annoyed Mercedes watching them from the hallway.

"Why in the hell are there bagels all over my floor?"

Before Sam could open his mouth to explain Kurt pushed past him and grabbed Mercedes and pulled her to him.

"I thought you were dead. I thought this intruder had come in and killed you!"

"Kurt, stop being so damn dramatic all the time. Why would he come in here and kill me?"

"What other reason would he have to be here?"

Sam felt himself getting pissed off, one because they were talking about him like he wasn't standing right there and two, because Mercedes' asshole friend wouldn't even consider the possibility that they were together.

Mercedes rolled her eyes and pushed Kurt away.

"Kurt, this is Sam. Sam, this very loud and dramatic person is Kurt.

Sam held out his hand towards Kurt to shake but he didn't get a response.

"Sam...where have I heard that name...OH MY GOD. SAM?"

The look on Kurt's face was comical but the slight blush that darkened Mercedes' cheeks was what he was really focused on. So she had talked about him with her best friend? That was interesting...

Sam held his hand out to Kurt again to shake but he was surprised when Kurt's whole demeanor changed and the look in his eyes became downright chilly.

Without acknowledging Sam's outstretched hand Kurt turned back to Mercedes and told her that she should probably go get dressed. Mercedes looked like she wanted to argue but she glanced down at the flimsy robe she was wearing and with one last scathing look at Kurt she headed back to her bedroom. Two seconds after the door shut behind her Kurt turned back to regard Sam coolly.

"What are you doing?"

"Excuse me?"

"What are you doing with Mercedes?"

Sam was taken aback by the fierceness in Kurt's tone. How could that man go from screaming like a 12-year-old girl to looking like he was ready to kick Sam's ass?

"What Mercedes and I are doing is none of your business."

"That's where you're wrong Sam. I've been through thick and thin with that woman and if you think you're going to stroll in her and break her heart then you are sadly mistaken."

"I'm not going to break her heart."

"Yes you are." Kurt said sadly. "I told her to go after you but I never thought she'd actually do it. Mercedes doesn't put herself out there like that unless it's something really important to her."

Sam tried to ignore the weird feeling in his chest when Kurt talked about the possibility of him being important to Mercedes but it was getting harder and harder to ignore that feeling.

"I'm not going to break her heart." Sam reiterated again.

"Maybe not on purpose, but you will."

"Stop saying that! You don't know anything about me."

"You're not some special snowflake, Sam. I've met plenty of guys like you and guys like you break girls like Mercedes' hearts. This thing between you was just a roll in the hay for you but I guarantee it was more than that for Mercedes. She may play it off, but it was more."

There was that feeling again.

"Look, we can't keep going back and forth about this. What can I do or say to convince you that I won't hurt Mercedes?"

"Nothing. You'll hurt her and I'll be there to pick up the pieces. End of story."

Sam started to get angry, he wasn't going to hurt Mercedes and he didn't need her overly dramatic friend telling him that he was.

"What is your problem with me?"

"I've watched my best friend moon over you for two weeks but I seriously hoped she would be strong enough to resist you. I see now that at the first sign of weakness you swooped in and pounced."

Sam turned away and searched the floor for his shirt. Had he really done that? The night they shared was obviously something that was mutually decided on between the two of them but he couldn't deny that he pushed her a bit.

"I care about Mercedes."

"As what? Your hot secretary that you can get a few good fucks out of?"

Sam whirled around to face Kurt, "I don't care if you're her best friend or not, don't talk about her like that."

Kurt's eyes widened a bit at Sam's outburst but he didn't back down.

"It's real sweet that you want to defend her now but are you going to feel the same way in a month or two when you get tired of her?"

"What the fuck is your problem?"

"My problem is that my normally, smart and level-headed best friend is having sex with a guy that she barely knows."

"We know each other."

"Barely. You've been playing a cat and mouse game for weeks now but you've finally caught her. How long before you get bored?"

"You don't know what the hell you're talking about."

"No? Like I said before you're no special snowflake. Guys like you enjoy the chase and then eventually you lose interest."

Sam was officially done with the conversation. At this point they were just going in circles and he would be damned before he kept trying to defend himself to Mercedes' judgmental friend.

"Think what you want to Kurt, but stay out of my relationship with Mercedes."

"Your relationship?" Kurt scoffed, "you two fucked once, I hardly call that a relationship."

"Whatever it is, it's our business not yours. Stay out of it."

Kurt's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"I'll stay out of it for now but the second Mercedes comes crying to me about you hurting her all bets are off. I may be dramatic but trust me, I'm not being dramatic in the least when I saw I will kick your ass if I find out you've hurt my friend."

"I've already said that I wouldn't hurt Mercedes."

"Yeah, I heard what you said, now you listen to what I have to say. If...no, when you hurt her remember this, I am on her side no matter what. Don't ever come and ask me for help with her because you won't get it. Do you understand?"

Sam nodded, "you won't have to worry about that."

"Yeah, we'll see." Kurt murmured in return.

The two men finished their conversation just in time because Mercedes came back in the living room looking around as if she expected them to be fighting.

"Is everything alright?"

"Yep, it's all good...right, Sam." Kurt shot a fake smile in Sam's direction.

"Yeah...we're all good."

Mercedes looked between the two of them for a few seconds later before directing her attention back towards the floor.

"Seriously, why are there bagels all over my floor?"

"Umm...Sam startled me so I threw them at him."

Mercedes started to laugh and the two men joined in while eyeing each other warily.

"Even though I chunked quite a few at him I still got plenty of them as well as a few other goodies for our weekly Saturday brunch!"

"Um...actually Kurt...I was thinking that me and Sam..." Mercedes trailed off as she saw Kurt's face fall.

"You and Sam could what? Saturday morning brunch is tradition!" Kurt spat out angrily.

"I know, but that's only because we never had anything else going on Saturday mornings." Mercedes said apologetically.

"So you're going to blow your best friend off for some guy?"

"I...Kurt, that's not fair! How many times have you blown me off?"

That shut Kurt right up but he still looked upset and while Sam wanted nothing more than to spend Saturday morning with Mercedes he needed some time to think.

"Hey, it's okay, you two should keep your tradition."  
Mercedes pouted slightly at him while Kurt continued to regard him suspiciously.

"You don't have to go Sam." Mercedes said in a small voice.

"It's okay, we'll talk later. Spend time with your friend...its fine, I promise." He leaned down and gave her a chaste but lingering kiss on the lips.

He looked around the floor again and was finally able to locate his shirt. He pulled it on and scooped up his wallet before sliding on his shoes. He gave Mercedes one last kiss before meeting Kurt's distrustful eyes and giving him a solemn nod.

Once out of the apartment Sam breathed a sigh of relief to be away from Kurt and his judgmental gaze. He missed Mercedes already but he knew they needed a little space from each other. Even though he thought Kurt was dead ass wrong about him eventually hurting him he did agree that things happened really fast between them. Before it couldn't have happened fast enough because in Sam's mind it was just sex and he felt like if they had it then they would get each other out of their systems. He couldn't have been more wrong. The sex was just as amazing, if not more so, than he'd imagined but now there were feelings wrapped up in it too. They were feelings that he wasn't ready to define quite yet but they were feelings all the same.

As Sam climbed in his car he spared one last glance up to Mercedes apartment. He laid his head back against his headrest as he replayed Kurt's last warning in his head,

If...no, when you hurt her remember this, I am on her side no matter what. Don't ever come and ask me for help with her because you won't get it. Do you understand?"

Why did he have the sinking feeling that those words were going to come back and haunt him?


	13. Dinner Party of Six

"What did you say to him?"

It had been about five minutes since Sam had left and Mercedes had spent that time watching Kurt nervously flit around her apartment. He had moved the candles on her coffee table around three different times before moving his attention towards the pillows on her couches. Mercedes had known Kurt for years and she knew that he only cleaned when he felt guilty about something.

"Kurt Hummel, what did you say?"

"What makes you think I said something?"

"Because I didn't meet you five minutes ago. You're acting the way you always do when you have done something wrong so what is it?"

"Mmmmmm, bagels! How about you pop a few of the ones that are left into the toaster and we can start brunch."

"No. Either tell me what you said or you can leave."

Kurt looked up at her with a wounded expression but Mercedes refused to back down.

"I have the right to know what you said because I know it was about me!"

"Fine," Kurt snapped, "I'll tell you, but let's get something straight right now I'm not apologizing for what I said."

Mercedes was instantly worried, was it that bad? Kurt was never one to apologize but the fact that he felt the need to remind her of that made her think what he said was really bad.

"I need food." Kurt stomped past her and headed towards the kitchen where the reminder of the food he brought was. Mercedes watched as he toasted some bagels and slapped some cream cheese and jelly on them. Then he dumped the little individual containers of fresh fruit onto their plates. He snatched them both up and then stalked into the dining room and slammed the plates on the table.

"What are you mad about?" Mercedes demanded, "I'm the one that should be pissed."

Kurt looked up at her sharply but then he softened his gaze, "I'm not mad but I'm just preparing myself for the argument that is bound to happen."

"Just tell me what you said, I promise not to be mad."

Kurt gave her a dubious look but he jumped right in.

"Fine. ItoldSamtahthewasn'."

"WHAT?"

"I said, ItoldSamthathewasn'tgood-"

"Oh hell no, say it to where I can understand it Kurt!"

"I thought you said something about not getting mad?"

"KURT!"

"Ugh, fine! I told Sam he wasn't good enough for you and he was just going to break your heart eventually."

Mercedes stared at Kurt in stunned silence.

"You said what?"

"Do you really want me to repeat it?"

"No, you asshole! You shouldn't have said it in the first place! How could you?"

"How could I? How could you? Since when did you start getting involved with men you barely even know?"

The abrupt change of subject left Mercedes feeling confused. How did the discussion suddenly stop being about Kurt butting his nose in where it didn't belong?

"Excuse me? Who I spend my free time with is my business. Besides weren't you the one telling me to 'hop on that dick' just a few days ago."

"I didn't think you'd actually do it!" Kurt yelled, "When have you ever taken my advice when it comes to men?"

"I didn't take your advice this time it just...it just happened, okay?"

"And now what?"

"What do you mean?"

"What happens now? You've both crossed a line and you can't go back. He's not just your boss anymore, he's knows you intimately and vice versa. Are you really going to be able to walk back into that office Monday morning and act as if nothing happened?"

"I don't know!"

"Well, maybe you should have thought about that before you slept with your boss! " Kurt sighed, "Look, Mercedes I know what I'm saying sounds harsh but I'm just looking out for you. I don't want to see you get hurt and it just seems that this situation will ultimately lead to that."

Mercedes didn't say anything as she focused her attention with rolling a raspberry around on her plate.

"Mercedes?" Kurt asked softly, "say something."

"What did he say?" She asked timidly.

"What did who say?"

"Sam. What did he say when you told him that he was going to break my heart one day."

"He told me that he never would."

Mercedes glanced up at Kurt who was looking at her with sad eyes, "And you don't believe him?"

"I don't think he'll do it on purpose but I just don't see this ending well...I'm sorry."

"I thought you weren't going to apologize."

"I said I'm not going to apologize about what I said to Sam, and I won't. But I'll always apologize anytime I make you sad. I'm really sorry Mercedes."

She blinked back tears and said, "I know."

Two days later Mercedes replayed the conversation with Kurt in her head as she got settled into her office early Monday morning. Things with Sam had happened fast...too fast and she never really gave herself time to full think about all the repercussions. Kurt was right, odds were things were not going to end well, especially for her. After going back and forth about it all weekend she had decided that from now on she would keep all of her interaction with Sam professional. It was just better this way.

The closer it got to 8 a.m. the more tense Mercedes got. She knew Sam would be there in any minute and even with all of her pep talks and plans she still felt out of her element. She could talk a good game when he was away but the second he was anywhere in her vicinity she lost all of her bravado.

By the time 8 a.m. came and went Mercedes started to feel worried that they were going to have a repeat of Friday morning. As the time ticked closer to 9 a.m. Mercedes finally caved and picked up the phone to call down to Mrs. Halbright to see if she had heard anything. She had only dialed two numbers when she heard the unmistakable ding of the elevator letting her know that someone was on the way up. She breathed a sigh of relief and tried to ignore the light feeling in her chest.

She tried desperately to hang on to all of her earlier convictions but she was so nervous about what her first meeting with Sam would be like after what had happened between them. Would he be nice, or would he be mean? Would he give her a smile or would he hurl insults her way instead? Mercedes held her breath as the elevator doors swung opened as she waited to see what the verdict would be.

Nothing.

Sam walked right past her as if she didn't exist. As if the desk was empty and there wasn't an actual living, breathing human being sitting at it. He completely ignored her!

Mercedes sat in stunned silence because of all the scenarios she had dreamed up since Saturday, him straight up ignoring her was not one of them. She had half a mind to go bang on his office door but she'd be damned before she turned into that girl. If he wanted to ignore her then fine, two could play that game.

And they did for the rest of the week. Neither one of them uttered a single word to each other unless it was absolutely necessary. They only talked about work and the only work they talked about was the stuff that couldn't be hashed out over e-mail.

She missed him.

Mercedes knew it was stupid but she missed the way it used to be. Even when Sam was being the biggest asshole he could be he would still acknowledge her presence. He wouldn't treat her like some nameless, faceless employee or even worse just a piece of furniture that happened to be in his office. The old Sam saw her even if he didn't want to. New Sam looked right through her.

Mercedes couldn't deny that her feelings were hurt but this was probably for the best in the long run. If this was the guy that Sam was going to turn into eventually then she was happy he did it now instead of later. Her heart wasn't broken and now it wouldn't have to be. Sam Evans did her one hell of a favor.

Finally it was the end of the hellishly long work week and Mercedes was happy to be free from the office for a few days. As she was gathering her things she was shocked to hear the ding from the elevator. Usually when Sam was expecting someone either Mrs. Halbright would give her a heads up or she'd get an e-mail or text from Sam. So since she had received neither of those things she was curious to see who was coming up unannounced.

When the elevator finally arrived and Stevie stepped out Mercedes' questions were answered. Other than Sam, Stevie was the only other person pretty much allowed to do or go wherever he pleased.

Mercedes put a big smile on her face when she saw Stevie but it faltered slightly when Matt walked out of the elevator behind him.

"Well, hello Mercedes." Stevie said kindly, "how are you doing this afternoon?"

"Good, how are you?"

"I'm excellent, I'm ready to get out of this stuffy office and enjoy my weekend."

Mercedes gave him a small smile in response. She agreed completely but she didn't think it was a good look for her to tell the co-CEO that she couldn't wait to get of the office either.

"Have you and Matt met?"

"Um yes, we had lunch last week."

"Oh...well, that's interesting." Stevie said coyly.

Mercedes was tempted to respond back that it really wasn't but she held her tongue.

"Well since you two are old friends you won't mind it if I leave you two out her while I pop in and have a quick chat with my brother, will you?"

Mercedes wanted to say no, she really, really wanted to say no but instead plastered a fake smile on her face and told Stevie to go ahead. Once the door shut behind him Matt was instantly in her face.

"So, Mercedes how have you been? It's been a week since we last talked and you seemed a little upset then."

"I'm fine now, thank you." Mercedes looked down at her desk and desperately wished that she hadn't already put all of her stuff away so that she would have something to do besides talk to Matt.

"I had a great time on our lunch date and I was hoping we could do it again, but maybe for dinner this time?"

"Um...lunch was fun and everything but I don't think it's a good idea for us to have dinner together."

"Why not?"

"Why? Because..." Mercedes was stuck. She had a perfectly good excuse but she didn't know a nice way of telling somebody that you didn't want to spend time with them because they gave you the creeps 95% of the time.

"Well...I..." Mercedes stuttered and glanced at Sam's door, "I don't think Sam would approve!" She yelled unnecessarily loud at Matt.

He widened his eyes at her outburst but he regrouped and said, "Well, I've been invited to have dinner with Stevie and a friend of his so it wouldn't be a date."

No, it would be a double date, Mercedes thought as she side-eyed Matt.

"Look, I wouldn't have asked but I really don't want to be a third wheel. It's nothing more than that, I promise."

Mercedes didn't believe a word Matt was saying but before she could let him down again the door to Sam's door swung open and he came storming out with a bewildered Stevie on his heels.

"What the hell are doing here, Matt?"

"Well, hello to you too Sam. How have you been?" Matt asked sarcastically.

"Cut the bullshit, why are you here?"

"Sam!" Stevie was staring at his brother in disbelief, "dude, chill out, he's with me."

"Why?"

"We're heading to dinner, you remember the dinner right? The one I just invited you to but you said you'd rather die than come?"

Sam had the decency to look sheepish at his outburst and he muttered a quick apology that was almost impossible to hear.

"It's cool, man," Matt said somewhat graciously, "It's too bad that you can't join us for dinner, I just asked Mercedes and she agreed to join us."

Mercedes head snapped towards Matt at the same time that she could feel Sam turn his gaze on her.

"Actually no, I told you I couldn't come."

"No, you told me that Sam wouldn't approve but I don't think that he would have any problem with it. Would you Sam?"

Mercedes turned to see Sam's face turn bright red as he glared at Matt. Stevie continued to look back and forth between Matt and Sam with a confused look on his face before turning to Mercedes and saying, "If you're worried about thing being weird, don't be. You are more than welcome to join us, in fact I insist, my date would love to have another woman to talk to."

Mercedes could feel herself being backed into a corner but she didn't know how to get out of it graciously. This is what she deserved for making up some lie about Sam instead of just telling Matt straight up that she wasn't interested. She had no doubt that he wouldn't have dared to use her words against if she had just been honest. Instant karma was a bitch.

"Um...well...I..." Mercedes looked at Sam for help but he refused to meet her gaze which pissed her off. "Sure, I'll go."

That got Sam's attention and he gave her an accusatory glance as if to say, 'how could you' before looking at his brother and saying, "I've changed my mind, I'd love to go out to dinner with you guys."

Stevie seemed surprised, but he gave his brother a pat on the back. "That's great man, I'll call ahead and make a reservation at 7 for a table for 5."

"Actually, go ahead and make it a table for 6."

Mercedes' gut clenched at his words. The only reason they would need a table for 6 would be because he would be bringing someone else as his date. She prayed the hurt wasn't showing in her eyes as she focused her attention back on Stevie.

"Uh, well okay then...I didn't realize you were dating anyone."

Sam gave a curt smile but he didn't confirm or deny that he had been dating anyone much to Mercedes disappointment.

"Well, we all have our secrets, don't we Stevie."

Stevie's face darkened at Sam's comments but he bounced back quickly and shot a quick smile to Mercedes.

"Why don't you go on home and get ready, and I'll have a driver swing around and pick you up at 6:30. Is that okay?"

Mercedes opened her mouth to tell him it was but she was interrupted by Sam's voice.

"No, it's fine I can bring her."

"What about your date?" Stevie asked.

"She lives way across town, I'll just tell her to meet us there."

"Aren't you quite the gentleman," Stevie murmured sarcastically.

Sam didn't look the slightest bit bothered by Stevie's comment as he turned to Mercedes and said, "I'll come and get you, okay?"

Mercedes was slightly stunned that he was talking to her about something that wasn't work, so much so that she almost didn't answer him. She wanted to tell him no, she was going to tell him no but the slightly pleading look on his face stopped her.

"Okay." She said simply.

He shot her a small smile and then he turned his attention to Matt who was now giving them both a death glare.

"You don't mind do ya, Matt?"

"Actually…"

"That's great to hear! I knew you wouldn't mind" Sam cut Matt off and then turned his back to him.

Stevie watched the whole exchange with amusement before he announced that it was time for him and Matt to go so that they would be ready in time for dinner. They both said their goodbyes and got on the elevator and headed downstairs leaving Sam and Mercedes alone. The tension in the room had been uncomfortable before but now it was literally choking Mercedes. The somewhat easy pattern they had developed over the last few days was now broken and she didn't know how to act anymore.

"You don't have to pick me up, I have a car." She said softly.

"I said I would, didn't I?" He asked harshly.

The fragile hold on Mercedes temper snapped and a week's worth of anger came spewing out.

"And why did you do that, huh? Are you so worried about what might happen between me and Matt that you feel the need to cockblock at every turn?"

"Nothing is ever going to happen between you and Matt. Do you understand me?"

"Don't start that bullshit again, you don't own me Sam…I'm not yours."

Sam seemed to deflate a bit as if he were a balloon and she just poked him with a large needle.

"You're right and I'm sorry. You're not…you're not mine and I'm not yours."

Mercedes felt like crying at his words and she didn't know why. Her head was a jumbled mess but she knew she needed to snap out of it because she had to be on top of her game at tonight's dinner.

"You really don't have to take me, you know." She said softly.

"I know. I want to." He whispered back just as softly.

"Why?"

"Because…I just…I mis…I don't trust Matt."

"Oh," Mercedes swallowed back her disappointment. She could've sworn that he was going to say he missed her but he didn't.

"I can handle Matt."

Mercedes was sure of that, she was naïve before when it came to Matt but she had his number now. She agreed with Sam, he was not to be trusted.

"Don't underestimate him, okay? He's different than when were in college…very different. I just don't want you to be hurt."

"As long as you're not the one doing it," Mercedes muttered under her breath.

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

Sam looked as if he didn't believe her but he didn't press.

"So, is 6:30 good for you?"

"No. Look, Sam I appreciate the offer but I really have to decline. I promise I won't go with Matt but I don't need you to take me either."

Sam furrowed his brows slightly at her comment but he didn't push her about it anymore.

"Fair enough. I'll see you there."

"See you." Mercedes gave him a forced smile before gathering up her things and leaving the office.

Two hours later Mercedes sat in her car outside the restaurant that Stevie had chosen and gave herself a pep talk. She swore to herself that she wouldn't be jealous of whatever skank Sam decided to bring and she would stab Matt with her fork if he tried something. She tried the deep breathing exercises that Kurt had taught her but all they did was make her feel light-headed so she started her pep talk all over again.

Finally at 6:58 she got out of the car and made her way to the restaurant. She smoothed down her sleek black bandage dress that Kurt had forced on her months ago and she thanked her lucky stars for her best friend. The dress was tight but it wasn't uncomfortable and it showed off every single one of her curves. The dress paired with her trusty Louboutins and her wavy 'sex' hair gave her confidence because even if she was freaking out on the inside she knew she looked damn good on the outside.

Once inside she told the maître'd that she would be joining the Evans party and he quickly lead her to the table. When she got there she breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that it was just Matt, Stevie, and his date. As she got closer she watched Stevie choke on his drink and Matt's eyes bug of his head before they both jumped to their feet.

"Mercedes! I barely even recognized you. You look amazing." Stevie said excitedly, a little too excitedly if his date's glare was indication.

"He's right, you're breathtaking." Matt said as his eyes raked over her body.

Mercedes repressed her shudder at Matt's creepy gaze as she forced a polite smile and said, "Thank you, you both look very nice as well."

Mercedes waited as Matt pulled out her chair and once seated she turned her attention to Stevie's date.

"Hello, I'm Mercedes."

The busty blonde gave her look before muttering, "I'm Crystal."

Well, fuck you too, Mercedes thought to herself.

Stevie gave her an apologetic look before handing her a menu.

"Sam just texted me and said they are in the parking lot so I figured we could start looking at what we wanted to order."

Mercedes ignored the tiny pang in her chest at the word they and focused on the huge book-like menu in front of her. She had only made it to the second page when she heard Stevie's furious voice.

"I can't believe that asshole would bring her!"

Mercedes' eyes snapped up in surprise at the anger in Stevie's voice and she followed his gaze to see what had him so upset.

Her heart clenched in her chest as she heard Matt chuckle behind her and say, "This is going to be so good."

Sam was headed to their table and his gaze was focused on her but she didn't know it because her gaze was focused on his date.

Sam had brought Quinn Fabray to dinner.


	14. Look Who's Coming to Dinner

"I'm not going to break her heart"

"Maybe not on purpose, but you will..."

It had been over 24 hours since Sam had left Mercedes' apartment but he could still hear Kurt's words ringing in his head. Was he right? Sam didn't consider himself a heartbreaker but he would have to be delusional not to admit that he did turn into the love 'em and leave 'em type after what happened with Quinn. He always prided himself on being upfront with every woman the he was with but even then he knew that some women took it harder than others when he ultimately left.

Sam rubbed his hand over his face. He desperately needed a shave but he couldn't be bothered to get off the couch. He wished he was still over at Mercedes' place and still in that little bubble they were in Saturday morning before Kurt burst it with his high pitched squeal. Sam wanted to be mad at Kurt for coming at him the way he did, but he couldn't blame him. No matter how much Sam hated to admit it Kurt wasn't wrong when he accused him of being the type of man that broke women's hearts. He had turned into that man after Quinn and he not reason to stop being that guy.

Until Mercedes.

He didn't believe in love at first sight or falling in love with someone after having sex the first time like in cheesy romance novels but he did feel different after being with Mercedes. Usually after sex he wanted to be as far away from the woman as possible because he didn't want her getting the wrong idea. With Mercedes leaving her apartment yesterday morning was one of the hardest things he had ever done. He knew that if Kurt hadn't shown up and she'd allowed it he would probably still be there right now.

Sam didn't know what to do in regards to Mercedes. It would be so easy to start something up with her. Too easy to start up some covert affair, but is that really what he wanted with her? Sure, the sex was amazing but was that all he wanted? Was it all she wanted? Sam had been asking himself that same question over and over again since he left her apartment and he still didn't have an answer. He didn't do relationships-he hadn't even attempted one since Quinn so he honestly didn't know if he would be good for Mercedes. He liked her a lot and she got under his skin in a way that no other woman ever had but he didn't think that was enough. Kurt was right, he would just hurt her eventually.

Sam squeezed his eyes shut at the thought and sighed. He didn't know what to do. The right thing would be to sit her down and talk to her but what would he say? That he wanted to be with her, but he didn't think it would work out because he didn't know the first thing about being in a relationship? Sam needed time to figure out what he wanted and more importantly what he had to give but he needed space to do that. In a normal situation it would be no problem, but this wasn't a normal situation. This wasn't some random woman he could just hold at arm's length while he got his shit straightened out, she was also his employee. Unless he planned on taking an undetermined amount of leave from work then he was going to have to see her every single day. Mercedes didn't seem like the type to suffer fools lightly and she also didn't seem like the type to sleep around so it he had no doubt that sleeping together meant something to her as well. But what? Did she want to have a monogamous sexual relationship but leave the emotions out of it, or did she want more? Sam was so confused and with every question he became even more so. Relationships were hard and this is why he didn't bother with them. Not only did you have to worry about your own crazy emotions and feelings but you had to take in consideration someone else's.

After what seemed like hours Sam was still at a standstill mentally and emotionally. He didn't know how to handle the thing with Mercedes just yet so he decided to take the cowardly route. If he talked to her now he would make things worse instead of better, but if he didn't talk to her at all he wouldn't have to worry about his foot inserting his mouth. It was a horrible plan and Sam knew it but it would have to do for now. He knew the impression he would be giving and he hated it but in his mind it would all work out in the end...at least he hoped it did.

Before Sam could go around yet again his cell phone rang. He looked down at the caller ID and groaned—it was Quinn.

"Hello." He said curtly, he wanted this conversation over as quickly as possible.

"Hi, Sam." Quinn said softly. "How have you been?"

"Cut the crap Quinn, you didn't call me to ask how I've been."

"Fine, you're right." She snapped back, "Did you talk to Stevie?"

Sam's mood instantly darkened as he played back the conversation with his brother. He still couldn't believe how dismissive he had been about a child that was possibly his.

"Yes, we spoke."

"And?"

"And, he admitted that the baby could be his."

"And?" Quinn asked impatiently.

"And...and he said he wanted nothing to do with you or the kid. I'm sorry."

There was silence on the other end.

"Quinn?"

"I don't accept that." Quinn said angrily, "I know it's a shock but I refuse to be cast aside like garbage. I didn't get pregnant by myself and I will not go through this alone. You have to talk to him again."

Sam sighed, "I can't force Stevie to be there for you Quinn and you can't force him either. If he doesn't want to be a dad to his kid then he's an asshole but don't stress yourself about it, especially right now."

"NO!" Quinn screamed, "NO! I am not doing this alone, I'm not!"

Sam sighed heavily again when he heard Quinn start to cry on the other end of the phone. He could have happily kicked Stevie's ass for getting caught up with Quinn Fabray of all people. If it had been any other woman then it would have just been his problem but since he decided to screw around with Sam's ex-fiancé then it became both of their problems.

"Look, Quinn—hey, listen! I'll talk to him again but I'm not making any promises, okay? At some point you're either going to have to talk to him face to face your damn self or just let it go. I'm not going to continue to be the go between with you two. Got it?"

"Fine," Quinn sniffed petulantly, "I got it."

After exchanging quick goodbyes Sam gratefully hung up the phone. He shook his head as he thought how close he'd come to having Quinn for his wife. Just the thought of that made Sam's skin crawl now, what had he ever seen in her? Sure she was a beautiful woman but she was about as deep as a teaspoon of water on a good day. There had to have been something that made him think she was wife-worthy material but for the life of him he couldn't seem to recall it. Sam pondered on it a while longer and he still couldn't come up with an answer. The only thing he was sure of was that talking with Quinn reminded him yet again how much he sucked at relationships and if he was going to get into one with Mercedes then he had better be damn sure he was ready for it.

On Monday morning Sam sat in his car and ran over all the reasons why ignoring Mercedes would be the right way to go. He had a long list of pros but he only had one con and it outweighed all the pros—he missed her. It had only been about two days so he didn't technically really miss her yet but he knew that if he ignored her then he would eventually. His plan sucked and he knew it but he was sticking to his guns.

As he made his way up the elevator to his office he worked to steel himself to walk past Mercedes. Once the doors slid open he took a second to look at her sitting at the desk. She had her hair pulled back in a ponytail that left her neck exposed and he groaned softly as the memory of what her neck tasted like came rushing back. All thoughts of the plans almost went out the window but Sam pulled himself back from that ledge. He marched past Mercedes' desk and tried his hardest to ignore the clench in his gut when he saw the look of confused disappointment cross her face. Once inside his office he leaned against his closed door and released a deep breath. This week was going to suck.

And it did.

By the time Friday rolled around Sam was ready to pull his hair out by the roots. He and Mercedes had settled into a stilted, curt work relationship that he absolutely hated. She was back to calling him Mr. Evans and she would barely make eye contact with him anymore. He knew this was all happening because he was an emotional cripple that couldn't even enter into a relationship like a normal person and he hated himself for it. He missed her terribly and he was at the point now where he was finally ready to let go of all his inhibitions when it came to relationships and just hope for the best. He wanted her desperately and he needed her just as much but he had fucked things up so badly between them that he wouldn't blame her if she never wanted to have anything to do with him again.

As the day wound down to a close Sam contemplated going to Mercedes and asking her if she would be interested in going to dinner with him to discuss things. He knew that he would probably give her whiplash with the complete 180° he was about to do but he hoped that maybe she missed him as much as he missed her and because of it she would give the emotional cripple a chance.

Sam's latest plan of action was thwarted when he heard voices outside his office before his little brother invited himself into his office.

"Well, what do you know? You didn't fall off the face of the Earth? I was beginning to get worried since I haven't been able to find you this past week." Sam said sarcastically.

"Sorry about that," Stevie responded back insincerely, "something came up, if you know what I mean."

Sam rolled his eyes, "what's her name?"

"Crystal. I want you to meet her so why don't you join us for dinner tonight?"

"First of all, I'd rather be dead than hang out with whatever bimbo you chose for tonight's entertainment. And secondly, why would I bother meeting someone that's not going to be around next week?"

It was Stevie's turn to roll his eyes.

"You don't have to come, asshole. I just thought I be kind and extend the invitation."

"Speaking of invitations, have you called Quinn yet?"

"What the hell...what does that have to do with invitations?"

"Nothing, just answer the damn question."

"No, I haven't talked to her and I'm not going to. Stay out of this Sam, you're not Dad, you can't order me around and expect me to do as I'm told."

"You're going to throw the dad thing at me Stevie? Really?" Sam demanded angrily, "What do you think Dad would be saying right now if he knew that you were denying his grandchild?"

"We don't know if that's my kid for sure and I'll be damned before I deal with Quinn's crazy ass for 7 or 8 months only to find out later she got knocked up by some pool boy again."

"So, you're just going to let her do this alone?"

"Yep." Stevie said coldly. "Are we done here? I gotta drop Matt off and get home so I can get dressed for dinner."

"Matt's here?"

"Yeah, he's outside with Merced—hey!" Sam heard Stevie yelp in surprise as he pushed past him and headed towards Mercedes' desk. When he got there he found Matt standing too damn close to Mercedes as she eyed him warily. Sam felt his blood began to boil, the last thing he needed today was to have to watch Matt's slimy ass put the moves on Mercedes.

"What the hell are you doing here, Matt?"

Well, hello to you too Sam. How have you been?" Matt asked sarcastically.

"Cut the bullshit, why are you here?"

"Sam!" Stevie called out, "dude, chill out, he's with me."

"Why?"

"We're heading to dinner, you remember the dinner right? The one I just invited you to but you said you'd rather die than come?"

Sam had the good grace to look sheepish and he muttered a quick apology under his breath that he knew no one could probably understand.

As Matt began to talk Sam gritted his teeth and tried to ignore how with every word Matt shifted a little bit closer to Mercedes. He was so fixated on trying to control himself so that he didn't snatch Mercedes away from Matt's grasp that he almost missed him saying that he had invited Mercedes to dinner and she had accepted.

Sam snapped his head towards Mercedes in disbelief.

"Actually no, I told you I couldn't come."

"No, you told me that Sam wouldn't approve but I don't think that he would have any problem with it. Would you Sam?"

Sam glared at Matt. That son of a bitch backed him into a corner yet again and he knew it. In that moment Sam realized that he hated Matt and he was pretty sure that the feeling was mutual.

"If you're worried about things being weird, don't be. You are more than welcome to join us, in fact I insist, my date would love to have another woman to talk to." Sam groaned under his breath as he listened to his brother attempt to help the situation.

Sam listened as Mercedes stuttered a response and his stomach dropped when he heard her accept the invitation. She was free to go anywhere with anyone but he had sincerely hoped that person wouldn't be Matt, or any other man for that matter. He knew he had no right to be possessive but he was and the idea of her going out on a yet another date with Matt when they haven't been on any burned Sam up inside.

Before he could question the wisdom of his decision Sam blurted out, ""I've changed my mind, I'd love to go out to dinner with you guys."

He looked at the varying reactions in the room. Matt gave him a challenging look while Mercedes looked alarmed but slightly relieved and Stevie seemed confused by the sudden change of events.

"That's great man, I'll call ahead and make a reservation at 7 for a table for 5."

Since today seemed like the day for bad decisions, Sam decided to make one more, "Actually, go ahead and make it a table for 6."

Sam tried his best to ignore the hurt look that blossomed on Mercedes' face at his words. He knew what that punch to the gut feeling felt like when you heard the person you were interested in was going on a date with someone else. He hated making her feel that way but in this instance he didn't have a choice. He didn't know when he would have the opportunity again and even though he hated throwing his date in her face ultimately his plus one didn't have anything to do with her and he hoped that he would be able to get that through to her at some point.

"Uh, well okay then...I didn't realize you were dating anyone."

Sam took his eyes off of Mercedes and focused on his brother's query. He could play along but he didn't want Mercedes to have any more ammunition against him, so he didn't confirm or deny.

"Well, we all have our secrets, don't we Stevie."

Sam watched as his brothers eye's narrowed slightly but his expression quickly cleared and he turned his attention to Mercedes. Stevie offered to have a driver pick her up but Sam quickly interjected and offered to pick her up himself. Even as the words left his mouth he realized how ridiculous they sounded. She was somebody else's date and he had one of his own but he wanted to go out of his way to pick her up when he didn't have to. Stevie was quick to point out everything Sam had already realized but he simply blew him off and turned back to Mercedes.

"I'll come and get you, okay?"

Sam held his breath as he waited for her response. She was looking at him as if he were crazy but she didn't turn him down, much to his delight.

Once he got her approval he shot a smug glance to Matt and asked him if it were okay. Matt glared back at him and started to say that he wasn't okay with it but Sam cut him off before he could.

After that quick exchange Stevie and Matt said their goodbyes before getting on the elevator and heading down to the parking garage. Once they were gone the silence in the room was suffocating. Sam didn't know what to say but he was saved the trouble by Mercedes soft voice saying something he didn't want to hear,

"You don't have to pick me up, I have a car."

"I said I would, didn't I?" Sam said more harshly than he intended.

"And why did you do that, huh? Are you so worried about what might happen between me and Matt that you feel the need to cockblock at every turn?"

Sam stared at Mercedes in disbelief, did she really just accuse him of being a cockblock between her and Matt? All the possessive, jealous feelings that Sam tried to beat back earlier came rushing back.

"Nothing is ever going to happen between you and Matt. Do you understand me?"

"Don't start that bullshit again, you don't own me Sam…I'm not yours."

Sam's heart clenched at her words. She was right, but it hurt like hell to hear it.

"You're right and I'm sorry. You're not…you're not mine and I'm not yours."

Sam choked the words out as he watched as Mercedes blinked rapidly and avoided his gaze.

"You really don't have to take me, you know." She said softly.

"I know. I want to." He whispered back.

"Why?"

"Because…I just…I mis…I don't trust Matt."

Sam stopped himself from telling her that he missed her because he didn't feel like it was the right time, especially now that they were about to go on a triple-date with other people.

"I can handle Matt."

Sam wished he could believe that, he really did but he didn't. The old happy-go-lucky Matt from college that Mercedes could handle with ease was long gone and Sam didn't even know why he didn't realize it sooner. There was something more going on there with Matt but he didn't have the time to figure it out. Sam just hoped Matt kept Mercedes out of whatever vendetta he had against him.

"Don't underestimate him, okay? He's different than when were in college…very different. I just don't want you to be hurt."

Mercedes muttered something under his breath that he didn't understand and considering that it was probably a dig against him he was glad he didn't.

"So is 6:30 good for you?"

"No. Look, Sam I appreciate the offer but I really have to decline. I promise I won't go with Matt but I don't need you to take me either."

Sam ignored his hurt feelings and took the bad with the good. She wasn't going with him but he believed her when she said she wasn't going with Matt either.

"Fair enough. I'll see you there." He said with a forced smile.

"See you." Sam watched as Mercedes gathered up her things before making a quick exit. Once she was out of sight he went back to his office and picked up his cell phone.

"Hello?"

"Quinn Fabray, I hope you don't have any plans tonight because I'm taking you out to dinner."

"Uh…okay," came the surprised reply on the other end.

"Will you be ready by 6:30?"

"Yeah, I can be ready, but what's with the sudden change of heart? A couple days ago you could barely have a conversation with me on the phone and now you want to have dinner with me?"

"Let's just say we have a common goal. The quicker you get your shit figured out with Stevie the sooner you're out of my hair."

"What does Stevie have to do with this?"

"He invited me to dinner and I told him I was bringing a guest."

"Is that a good idea? I wanted to talk to him privately and I can't really do that in a crowded restaurant."

"Look, Quinn, Stevie has no intention of talking to you in private or in public or anywhere else for that matter. You need to stop playing by his rules and create some of your own. Stop letting him make all the calls because I guarantee if you do you will be having and raising that baby all by your damn self."

"Okay, I'll come." Quinn said timidly.

"Good, see you in a couple hours."

Sam hung up and after making a few more work calls he headed home. After a quick shower he threw on a simple pair of grey slacks with a black button down tucked in it. He sent a text to Quinn to letting her know he was on his way and he headed out the door. 15 minutes later he made his way to Quinn's hotel and he found her standing nervously by the doorman.

"Why are you out here? I would've come up and got you."

"No, its fine I just…I didn't want to miss you."

Sam noticed the way Quinn was gripping her hands together and Sam realized if she didn't calm down she would be an emotional mess and an emotional Quinn was a crazy Quinn.

"Hey, Quinn, calm down. It'll be fine. Stevie may be an insensitive asshole but he hates to make scenes. He may want to freak-out on the inside when he sees you but he'll put up a front and nobody will ever suspect it."

"I don't want him to freak-out, I just want him to talk to me."

"Well, short of hog tying him to a chair and forcing him to listen this is your best bet."

"Okay," Quinn blew out a deep breath, "let's go before I change my mind."

On the way to the restaurant Sam listened as Quinn muttered to herself under her breath as she stared out the window. He hoped this plan worked because he needed Quinn off his hands so he could focus on Mercedes. Between the week of ignoring her and bringing a date to dinner he was going to have a lot of explaining to do but he hoped she gave him a chance. Sam promised himself that after the dinner from hell there would be no more games. He would tell Mercedes how he felt and hopefully she would feel the same.

Because of an unexpected detour they ended up a few minutes late for the dinner. Sam shot Steve a quick text to let him know that they were in the parking lot before turning his attention to Quinn. Her muttering had stopped but now she had taken to biting her nails which he knew she only did when she was extremely nervous. He once again gave her a quick pep talk before practically dragging her out of the car and guiding her into the restaurant. Once inside they were ushered to their table by the maître d, it wasn't until they first saw the occupants of the table and Quinn let out a small gasp did Sam realize that it probably would have been a good idea to mention the whole 'triple-date' thing to her. He was so worried about getting her there that he completely forgot about Stevie's skank of the week, Crystal. Suddenly it seemed that yet another one of his not-so great plans was about to go up in smoke.

Once they came in full view of the table Sam watched as Stevie's eyes widened before they quickly turned murderous. His busty date gave Quinn a bored look before looking at him and getting a speculative gleam in her eye. As they got closer he heard Stevie practically hiss,

"I can't believe that asshole would bring her!"

At that Mercedes head turned towards them and Sam was shocked by what he saw. Mercedes always looked good but tonight she looked downright sultry. Sam refused to believe that she got all dressed up for Matt but he wasn't confident that it was for him either. Her eyes lit up slightly when she saw him but they quickly dimmed when she got a glimpse of Quinn timidly trailing behind him.

Sam inwardly groaned as he heard Matt say, "This is going to be good."

Let the dinner from Hell commence.


	15. Play Your Cards Right

"This is going to be good..."

Mercedes tore her eyes away from Sam's date at Matt's snarky words. She glanced around the table and took in the varying emotions radiating from her fellow diners. Matt was looking around frantically for a waiter and if his excited expression was any indication he was going to be asking for popcorn the second somebody showed up to take his order. Crystal had her attention solely focused on Sam and she looked at little too interested as far as Mercedes was concerned. Quinn weirdly enough had all of her attention focused on Stevie who in turn looked like he didn't know whether to vomit or kill someone. While Sam, on the other hand, was looking directly at her with an unreadable expression on his face. Mercedes didn't know exactly what she should be feeling but she knew that this dinner was probably going to be the most interesting one she had been to in months.

"Don't be so shy you two! Have a seat so we can get this party started." Matt called out to Sam and Quinn cheerfully.

Sam gave Matt a smoldering look before turning back to Quinn and ushering her to her seat. Once they got settled Matt demanded that everyone got acquainted.

"We know each other." Stevie said harshly.

"Not everybody knows each other," Matt said innocently, "well, Crystal here doesn't know Sam or Quinn and Mercedes and Quinn haven't had the pleasure either."

Mercedes fought the urge to kick Matt under the table as she forced a small smile onto her face and gave Quinn a slight nod.

"It's nice to meet you."

Quinn barely glanced her way as she muttered the greeting back.

Crystal ignored them both in favor of reaching out her hand across the table to shake Sam's. She batted her false lashes up at him and held onto his hand a lot longer than was necessary. Sam gave her a small smile back as he tried to pry his hand out of hers.

"What was your name again? I didn't catch it." Crystal asked breathily.

Mercedes rolled her eyes and looked at Stevie to get his reaction at his date's obvious flirtation with his brother but he was glaring down at his cloth wrapped silverware on the table.

"I'm Sam Evans, your date's brother."

Crystal laughed unnaturally loud and waved a dismissive hand towards Stevie's direction.

"Oh! I see the resemblance now! You are both are so handsome I should have been able to tell instantly."

"Where's that damn waiter?" Mercedes asked angrily as Matt snorted into his water beside her.

Crystal shot her a dirty look and turned back to Sam to presumably flirt some more. Thankfully someone, somewhere heard Mercedes plea because a waiter suddenly appeared by their sides.

"Can I get your drink orders?"

"Yes, we're going to need a bottle of your best wine for me and my lady friend." Matt said matter-of-factly.

Mercedes glared at Matt, "I don't need you to order for me," she hissed at him before looking up at the waiter and saying, "bring him his bottle but I just want a glass of Moscato for myself, please."

The waiter jotted down their orders before turning towards the others and saying, "so we can I get for all the rest of you?"

"A Long Island Iced tea," Stevie spat out.

"Um, okay -"

"Make it strong," he shot a glance at Quinn, "extremely strong."

"Anyone else?"

"Well, I'd like a Cosmo...what about you Quinn-it is Quinn right?"

Quinn gave Crystal a bitter look before turning down the offer and asking for sparkling water instead.

The waiter turned to Sam and asked him for his drink order but before he could answer Mercedes couldn't help but interject,

"I think he would love some Jack Daniels if you have it."

Sam smirked at her and she gave him a challenging look back.

"Mercedes is right, I would love a shot of Jack Daniels. Let's just say the last time I had some it led to something very...interesting."

Mercedes cursed under her breath as she was forced to avert her eyes from Sam's because it had suddenly become very warm in the restaurant. She thought she could beat him at his little games but she should've known better by now. She could feel his gaze still on hers, as well as everyone else's at the table. Thankfully everyone's attention was directed back to the waiter as he checked one more time to make sure he had everyone's orders before heading to the bar to put them in. Once he left an uncomfortable silence fell over the table again until Matt decided to break it.

"Sooooooo, Quinn how have you been?"

"I've been good, how about you?"

"Excellent, making some good business deals...catching up with old friends. Doesn't it feel like old times again? You, me, Sam and Stevie, just like old days. The only thing missing is a wedding to look forward to."

Quinn's face blanched at Matt's words while Sam's turned bright red.

"That's enough Matt!"

"What?" Matt asked innocently, "I was just saying that it was nice to get the old gang back together after all this time. You and Quinn together...it's the way it should be."

Mercedes gritted her teeth and prayed that the waiter would hurry up with the damn wine.

"So wait, you two almost got married?" Crystal asked in disbelief, "are you together now?"

"No!" They both shouted in unison.

"Then why are you here together?"

Excellent question, Mercedes thought. Maybe Crystal wasn't a completely useless idiot after all.

"Quinn wanted to get caught up with Stevie so I invited her to dinner."

The explanation was simple enough but the way Sam said it and the way Stevie reacted spoke of a deeper reason that no one else was going to be privy too.

"Oh, well I guess that's nice." Crystal apparently had the attention span of a gnat because the second she assumed there was no drama to be had she lost all interest.

Matt on the other hand, wasn't so easily deterred.

"She wanted to see Stevie? Since when? I thought the two of you hated each other back in the day?"

"That was eight years ago, and Stevie was 16, he hated everybody." Sam said curtly.

"Well, what's Quinn's excuse?"

Quinn opened her mouth to answer but she was cut off by the waiter coming back with their drinks. After he got cocktails passed out and wine poured he took their orders. Everyone quickly spouted off what they wanted and once again an uncomfortable silence filled the air.

Mercedes sighed, she needed a change of scenery even if it were only for a minute because she could hardly breathe at the table.

"If you all will excuse me I have to go to the ladies room."

"I'll go with you!" Quinn and Crystal both said simultaneously. Mercedes groaned inwardly but she didn't know how to tell them that they were the last two people she wanted to be around without sounding extremely rude.

"Ok..." Mercedes plastered a fake smile on her face and she rose from her seat. When she was fully standing she glanced over to see Matt's eyes roaming yet again and she fought the urge to clock him over the head with her clutch.

"Matt! I'm up here." Matt had the decency to look somewhat sheepish as he helped pull her chair out of the way so that she could go to the bathroom. She sent a look to Crystal and Quinn because they were both still seated and asked in an exasperated voice, "are you two coming?" The both got up from their seats but they had no one to help them in the way that Matt helped her. Stevie was too busy sucking down his Long Island iced tea to pay attention to anyone and Sam had his eyes glued on her. The look he was giving her reminded her of the looks he gave her that day she wore that leather skirt to the office. It was suddenly very warm again and her need to get away from the table quadrupled. She tore her gaze from Sam and hurriedly turned away and headed in what she hoped was the general direction of the bathrooms.

After two wrong turns and an almost catastrophic run-in with a waiter with a tray full of plates Mercedes finally found the women's bathroom. Once inside she ran a paper towel under some cool water and held it up to the back of her neck.

"Damn you walk fast!"

Mercedes turned to see Crystal and Quinn coming into the bathroom with annoyed looks on their faces.

"Sorry," Mercedes muttered curtly, "I thought you two were right behind me."

"Well, we weren't." Crystal snapped back, "Do you know how hard it is to run in 6 inch heels?"

Mercedes rolled her eyes as she looked down at Crystal's hooker heels. Maybe they were so hard to walk in because they were better suited for other activities like, standing on a street corner or spinning around a pole.

Crystal continued to mutter under her breath about sprained ankles and blisters as she made her way into one of the empty stalls, leaving Mercedes and Quinn all alone at the sinks.

"So how long have you and Matt been dating?" Quinn asked quietly.

"Dating? Matt and I aren't dating!" Mercedes nearly shouted back at her.

Quinn's eyebrows raised in surprised at the vehemence in her tone, "Really? I thought I saw the two of you out to lunch last week? Was that not you?"

"Yes, but that wasn't a date...and neither is this."

"Hmmmm..."

"Hmm...what does that mean?" Mercedes asked, annoyed.

"It doesn't mean anything. I've known Matt for years and he's a pretty sweet guy so it's just nice to see that he's found someone."

"But he hasn't found someon-"

Mercedes forthcoming tirade was cut off by the slam of the bathroom stall as Crystal exited. She wanted to make it very clear to Quinn that absolutely nothing was going on with her and Matt but she didn't feel like getting into in front of Crystal. Besides Crystal had some questions of her own she wanted answered.

"Sam Evans is one hot piece of ass isn't he?" Crystal practically purred as she washed her hands.

Mercedes tried her hardest not to react. The last thing she wanted was for Stevie's trollop to think she cared about her lusting after Sam.

"I don't pay attention to him like that," Mercedes lied.

"Well, you shouldn't because Matt's a pretty piece of hot ass as well."

"What about Stevie?" Quinn asked angrily, "shouldn't you be focused on him, seeing as he's your date and all?"

"Hmmm, well aren't you a little touchy? Sounds like somebody is jealous to me." Crystal taunted.

Mercedes looked at Quinn in the bathroom mirror, she did look jealous. The second Crystal brought up Sam being a hot piece of ass Quinn's face began to get redder and redder. Maybe she still had feelings for him? The idea worried Mercedes because if Quinn wanted Sam back would he really turn her down?

"Jealous? Of course I'm not jealous, why would I be jealous over Stevie?"

Crystal's confused face scrunched up at Quinn's panicked words.

"Stevie? I wasn't talking about him I was talking about Sam. It's clear you've still got a thing for your ex-fiancé but I don't blame you I wouldn't mind being hung up on Sam Evans my damn self if you know what I mean."

Crystal guffawed at her tasteless joke and Mercedes gut clenched as she waited for Quinn's reply.

"Uh...yeah...I don't...that thing with me and Sam...I...I...it's complicated."

Quinn averted her eyes and refused to look at either one of them and Mercedes fought the urge to scream in frustration.

"I'm going back." She snapped. The whole purpose of her trip to the bathroom was to get a little break from the tension but she was tenser now then when she was at the table!

"Alright Flo-Jo, but could you walk at a normal speed this time so we can all keep up?" Crystal asked snarkily.

"Fine, let's go."

Mercedes stalked towards the door and jerked it open. Crystal pushed past her and walked out towards the dining area without a backwards glance. Mercedes ignored her and turned back to find Quinn still staring at herself in the mirror with distant look on her face.

"Quinn, are you coming?"

"Have you ever started something that you wished you could stop?" Quinn asked in a far away voice.

"What? Quinn, are you okay?"

"Have you ever wanted someone who didn't want you back?"

"Quinn...we need to get back to the table." Mercedes said worriedly, she was starting to get freaked out by Quinn's monotone voice and expression.

"I just want him to love me, is that too much to ask?" Quinn's eyes met Mercedes' in the mirror again and she saw the tear tracks on Quinn's cheeks.

What the hell had brought all of this on? Mercedes had noticed that Quinn had seemed a little fragile at the beginning of dinner but now she seemed to be on the urge of having a meltdown. Was this all about the jealously comments? Was she really that upset about whatever weird relationship she had going on with Sam?

The only thing Mercedes knew for certain was that she could give an unequivocal yes to Quinn's first question. She didn't know what the frail blonde was referring to when she asked the question but Mercedes knew the first thing that popped into her head when she heard it. She wished that she could stop her feelings for Sam from growing because they were at a rapid pace and it was scaring the hell out of her. Under normal circumstances falling so hard for a guy who she barely knew would be cause for concern but when you add to the fact that he's her boss and he has some weird relationship going on with his ex-fiancé it was enough to have Mercedes questioning her sanity. She didn't like drama and being with Sam Evans had drama and stress written all over it. Sure, it had amazing, hot, toe-curling sex written all over too but at the end of the day was it really worth it?

Mercedes was brought back to reality by the sound of water running at the sink as Quinn wet a paper towel and dabbed her face with it.

"Forgive my little outburst...just hormonal I guess." Quinn gave a weak laugh.

"Hormonal?"

Quinn eyes widened and she stammered out, "oh...you know...it's that time of the month...so...yeah..."

"Oh, ok then." Mercedes said uncomfortably, "how about we head back? Crystal has had too much of a head start but I seriously doubt she's found her way to the table. She's probably wandering around in the parking lot by now."

Quinn gave a short laugh and seemed relieved that the conversation was over. She followed Mercedes out into the dining area and sure enough they bumped into Crystal who was frustrated because she swore up and down that she had been walking for over 10 minutes and the table was nowhere to be found. Mercedes rolled her eyes and retraced her earlier steps and found their table within 30 seconds.

Well, at least she thought it was their table. It was hard to tell seeing as that there was no one sitting there any longer. The only proof that six people had previously been there were the six to-go containers neatly placed on everyone's placemats.

"What the hell is going on?" Crystal asked loudly, "where are our dates and why the hell are these to-go boxes here?"

"Excuse me?"

Mercedes, Quinn and Crystal all turned to see their very pissed off waiter holding a black check envelope.

"The rest of your party was escorted out of the restaurant for getting into a physical altercation, which one of you will be picking up the tab?" The waiter said without preamble.

"Wait...what?" Mercedes asked in disbelief, "I don't understand, there has to be some type of misunderstanding. The three man at this table got into a fight?"

"Yes," the waiter snapped, "a physical one, so we had no choice but to escort them out of the restaurant. The to-go containers," he spat out, glaring at Crystal, "are here because it made no sense to let 5-star cuisine be wasted because half of your party doesn't know how to act in public."

Mercedes didn't know whether to be angry or humiliated, half of the diners in the restaurants were doing their best to crane their necks to see the rest of the fallout from the men's earlier juvenile antics.

"Here." Mercedes dug around in her purse until she found her wallet and she pulled out the executive credit card that Sam had given her for work purchases. Since he and his brother owned the company and they were the reason she was in this mess she felt no guilt whatsoever for charging what was sure to be an astronomical bill on the business card.

After the waiter went off to handle the bill the women each grabbed two boxes each. Crystal and Quinn both looked at Mercedes expectedly as if they didn't know exactly what they should do.

"You guys go ahead and go, I'll take care of the rest."

Both women gave her a grateful look before hurriedly exiting the restaurant. Mercedes stood next to the empty table with the two boxes in her hand and prayed for the floor to open up and swallow her. Other diners were still throwing her judgmental looks and she knew they were all talking about her. Of all the ways for the night to go she had never expected this.

Finally the waiter showed back up and all but shoved the check envelope in her hands for her to sign. She juggled it on top of the two boxes and quickly signed the credit card slip before handing it back to him.

He offered her a curt good night before spinning on his heel and stalking off back towards the kitchen. Mercedes breathed a sigh of relief that it was all over and she quickly made her way to the exit.

Once outside she saw that Sam, Matt, and Stevie were all still outside on opposite ends of the parking lot watching each other warily. Crystal was next to Stevie and dabbing at the cut above his eye that was oozing blood. Quinn was with Sam and she was surveying what Mercedes assumed were cuts on his knuckles. It appeared that Sam and Stevie had their 'women' to take care of them so it was obvious to Mercedes that neither one of them needed her around. She spared a glance towards Matt and found that he looked just as clean and pristine as he did when he first showed up at the restaurant.

"How did you manage to make it out of this unscathed?"

Matt chuckled darkly, "I had no reason to get into a fight with either one of them...not right now, anyway."

"What does that mean?"

"It means, Ms. Jones, that one should pick his fights very carefully otherwise he will show his hand too early."

"Alright Confucius, even though you weren't a part of this particular fight could you at least tell me what it was about?"

"It was about Quinn...and you."

"Me?"

"Yeah, Quinn may have started the argument but you started the fight."

"I don't...what does that mean?"

"It means that Sam can dish it out but he can't take it."

"That doesn't make any sense, what does that have to do with me?"

Matt gave a rough sigh, "it means that Sam is more than willing to throw someone else's sins in their faces but when someone puts a mirror up to him so that he can see his own he can't take it."

Mercedes was beyond frustrated and listening to Matt talking in riddles was doing nothing but pissing her off. She shoved was she assumed was his box of his food into his hands and headed towards her car.

"Mercedes, wait!" Matt grabbed her arm and forced her to stop. "I know you don't like me very much but you should really listen to me because I'm only going to tell you this once. Stay away from Sam."

Mercedes rolled her eyes and jerked her arm from Matt's grasp, "he's my boss Matt, in order to stay away from him I would have to quit my job and I'm not about to do that. Besides what business of it is yours? Obviously I haven't been clear so let me rectify that. We are not a couple, and we will never be a couple so who I choose to spend my time with is none of your concern.

"I know that," Matt said quietly, "I'm just trying to hel—"

"Just trying to what?"

Matt looked down at his feet and rubbed the back of his neck a few times before looking back up and saying, "You know what, just forget it. You're a big girl and I'm sure you can take of yourself. Just don't be surprised by how this ends."

Mercedes had had about enough of people giving her ominous warnings about how 'it' would all end. She knew she could be a little naive about relationships but she wasn't a complete idiot.

After all the stress of the dinner and all the hours leading up to it Mercedes was extremely tired and all she wanted to do was going home, change into her pajamas, and crack open the box of what she hoped was her food and leave the rest of this hellish day behind her.

"Thank you for your concern Matt, but you're right I am a big girl and I can take care of myself. I'll be fine."

Matt tipped his head to her slightly and said, "We'll see..." He walked away and headed to his car with a slight wave but he never turned back.

Mercedes tried to shake off the feeling of dread that she felt at Matt's parting words but it wouldn't completely go away. First Kurt, and now Matt? Was the universe trying to tell her something? Well, if it was then it was going to have to wait until she was in a more open-minded mood because she wasn't trying to hear it tonight.

As she headed to her car she could feel subtle sparks shooting up the back of her neck and she knew Sam was behind her. She took a deep breath and turned around to face him but she was still startled to see that he was so close.

"What is it, Mike Tyson?"

Sam gave her a grim smile before telling her that they needed to talk.

"No, we actually really don't. I have big plans for tonight and you're not ruining those like you ruined dinner."

"Look, I'm sorry about that, I never meant for things to get that out of control but Stevie just..."

"Stevie, just what?" Mercedes asked impatiently.

"He just pushed the wrong buttons, okay?"

"So that's your big defense for fighting your brother in a 5-star restaurant? He pushed the wrong buttons? Are you 12?"

Mercedes shook her head in disbelief and turned back towards her car but for the second time that night she was pulled to a stop.

"What?"

"We need to talk...please."

"Talk about what, exactly? The fact that you've been ignoring me for a week? Or would you rather talk about how you can act like you don't want me one minute but then act jealous when someone else does in the next? Or maybe we could talk about how you thought it would be a great idea to bring your beautiful ex-fiancé out on a date with you. Tell me, Sam what do you want to talk about first?"

"Mercedes...I...all of this complicated."

Mercedes snorted under her breath, "Complicated? Now where have I heard that before?" Sam gave her a puzzled look but Mercedes refused to tell him about what Quinn said about their relationship being complicated.

"How's this for a deal, why don't you keep your complicated feelings that you can't talk about all to yourself and I'll do the same. And on Monday we can both just go on ignoring each other and nobody's feelings will get hurt, how about that?" Mercedes asked with false brightness.

"No, I don't want things to be like this between us. I fucked up with the whole ignoring thing and I admit that. I thought...I thought if I held you at arm's length and didn't talk to you then I wouldn't make things worse between us."

"What? WHAT?" Mercedes yelled at him incredulously, "that is a fucking horrible idea!"

"I know! I just...I don't know how to do relationships and after Quinn...I just didn't want to mess this up, okay?"

Even though Mercedes was still angry at Sam for making a unilateral decision about their potential relationship she still felt herself soften a bit at his confession.

"I don't want to mess this up either...whatever it is, but us not talking is the worst idea ever."

"Yeah..." Sam chuckled softly, "yeah, it really is."

"So we talk...?" Mercedes asked hesitantly, "and nothing else."

"Nothing else." Sam replied back firmly.

"Okay, well if you want to come over we can talk tonight...or wait...or whatever." Mercedes rambled nervously.

Sam smiled down at her gently, "I would love to, I just have to drop Quinn off first."

At the sound of Quinn's name Mercedes tensed slightly. She was still an issue but Mercedes was entirely sure in what way. She wanted to believe that Quinn Fabray was someone she would never have to worry about, but common sense and some womanly intuition she had wouldn't allow her to be that naive. For now, she would put her suspicions about Quinn on the backburner and try to take everything that Sam said at face value. If he said that he was over Quinn then she would accept that, because if she wasn't going to trust him then there was no reason to even try and start a relationship. Mercedes just prayed that she wouldn't come to regret the decision to put her trust in Sam Evans.

"Okay, that'll be fine. I'll see you after you drop her off."

Sam gave her a grateful smile. He leaned forward slightly and for a second Mercedes thought he was going to kiss her mouth but at the last second he lightly ran his lips over her cheek before settling them against her ear.

"I'll see you soon," he breathed lightly into her ear and Mercedes tried to ignore the butterflies that erupted in her stomach at the feel of his warm breath against her face.

She nodded jerkily. He pulled away and with one last long lingering look he turned on his heel and sauntered away. As Mercedes watched him walk away she saw that Stevie and Crystal were still in the parking lot. Crystal was chattering away on her phone but Stevie's eyes were trained on something across the parking lot. At first she thought he was looking at Sam but then she realized that he was looking at the person that Sam was walking towards. Stevie was usually so happy-go-lucky that it was almost hard to look at the bitter, twisted look on his face now. She knew he was probably mad about the fight he got into with Sam but this look of hatred was more deep-seated than just pissed off feelings and it wasn't directed at Sam—it was directed at Quinn.

As Mercedes got herself settled into the car she couldn't help but to keep seeing the horrible look on Stevie's face over and over again. What could have Quinn done to make him hate her? Given their history if anyone was going to hate Quinn it should be Sam, so why doesn't he?

Right now Mercedes had more questions than answers but she hoped before the night was over that situation would be reversed. She and Sam had to talk and as far as she was concerned their relationship wasn't going a step further until they got all of their cards on the table.

Unfortunately for Mercedes, in her haste to put it all out there she forgot the one piece of valuable information that she had gotten from Matt earlier that evening:

"It means, Ms. Jones, that one should pick his fights very carefully otherwise he will show his hand too early."

The one person she trusted the least gave her information that, if heeded, would have prevented the downward spiral that was created by the decisions that she made on this night.

The night she got pregnant.


	16. Omissions

"Are you two coming?"

Sam tried his best to keep his eyes bugging out of his head as he took in Mercedes in her skintight black dress. He thought her black leather skirt was bad but this...this dress was just evil. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat as he made eye contact with Mercedes. She tried to regard him coolly but he could literally see the fire burning in her eyes. She could try and act as if she was unaffected him all she wanted to but her body never lied. He fought back his smile as she turned sharply on her heel and stalked away with Quinn and Crystal scurrying behind her. It was good to know that he wasn't the only one affected in this weird little dance that they were caught in.

Sam continued staring at Mercedes until she was completely out of eyesight and then he turned slightly to see that Matt was doing the same thing. The little lust filled bubble that he was in was abruptly popped by seeing his ex-best friend ogling his woman.

"What's your problem?" Sam demanded angrily.

Matt turned his head and gave Sam a quizzical look, "are you talking to me?"

"Who else would I be talking to?"

A smirk started to form on Matt's face as he turned fully in his seat to give Sam his full attention.

"Let me guess, this is about the lovely Miss Jones, isn't it?"

"You know damn well it is, you need to back off."

"This conversation again? I thought we had moved past this," Matt said in a bored voice, "What's the matter? Don't like sharing?"

Sam fought the urge to punch Matt in the face. This dinner already had him on edge and he knew the one thing he couldn't handle was Matt goading him about Mercedes.

"I know you have some imaginary beef with me but leave her out of it, okay? Just leave it alone."

"Why should he?"

Sam turned his head sharply to find Stevie glaring at him.

"What?"

"Why. Should. He?" Stevie said through gritted teeth, "why should he just leave it alone, it's not like you ever do. You're nothing but a fucking hypocrite."

"Don't start Stevi-"

"Don't start? DON'T START?" Stevie yelled, "You have some fucking nerve Sam. You can play puppet master with other people's lives but when someone calls you out on it you don't want to talk about it. Fuck you."

Matt's eyes widened at Stevie's outburst before he turned to see Sam's reaction.

"We're not doing this here," Sam said in a low voice.

"Why not? You brought her here so you apparently expected something to happen."

"I expected you to man up and quit running away from your responsibilities. The more you run from her the more she comes to me and I'm tired of it. Quit being a fucking coward and handle your business."

"What business?" Matt asked curiously.

"It's nothin-"

"Quinn's pregnant." Stevie spat out.

"Wha-how... she's pregnant again?"

"Yes, again." Stevie growled, "She's claiming it's mine but I think she's full of shit."

"Wait...WHAT? You had sex with Quinn Fabray? Dude..." Matt shook his head from side to side in disbelief, "you banged your brother's ex-fiancé and got her pregnant? That's so fucked up." Matt's actions belied his words as he started laughing like he had heard the world's funniest joke.

"Shut the hell up Matt!" Stevie growled out, "We don't know for sure if it's my kid and knowing Quinn I wouldn't be surprised if she made the whole thing up, pregnancy and all so until I know for sure, the bitch doesn't exist to me."

Matt sobered up quickly at Stevie's harsh words.

"Um, that's kind of cold-hearted don't you think?"

"Nope," Stevie muttered as he poured another glass of wine, "I'm protecting myself and my family name, there is nothing cold-hearted about it."

Sam had heard enough.

"You're a fucking coward, and you always have been. Thank God Dad isn't around to see the heartless piece of shit you turned into."

"Take that back," Stevie said angrily, rising from his seat, "take it back right now or I swear to God..."

"You swear to God what?" Sam demanded. "You're not man enough to claim your own kid but I'm supposed to believe you're man enough to kick my ass? Maybe you can try that little threat again when you grow some balls but until then keep your mouth shut while grown men are talking."

Sam barely got the words out before Stevie kicked back his chair and practically lunged across the table at him. Sam leaned back just in time but he still felt a whoosh of air as Stevie's fist passed in front of his face.

Matt quickly jumped up and grabbed Stevie and forced him back into his seat.

"You have got to chill man, people are looking."

Sam looked around to notice other diners sending curious glances their way.

"We'll finish our talk later Stevie, not here."

"Fuck you, Sam." Stevie replied back coldly, "And stay the fuck out of my business or I promise you my life won't be the only one getting fucked up."

"What in the hell is supposed to mean?"

"It means if you don't stay the hell out of my business I will make sure your whore will be looking for new employment."

Sam vision turned red and he could feel his whole body growing tense.

"What the fuck did you just say?" Sam said icily.

"Guys..." Matt started worriedly.

"I said, I'll make sure your whor-"

Stevie was abruptly cut off when Sam's fist connected with the right side of his face. The force of the impact knocked Stevie backwards in his chair.

"Don't you ever talk about her like that again!" Sam yelled, he tried to get to Stevie again but he was stopped by Matt. However, all it took was one forceful push to have Matt staggering backwards and Sam was hovering over Stevie.

"Don't you ever threaten her, do you hear me?" Sam grabbed the front of Stevie's shirt and shook him, "do you hear me?"

"Fuck. You." Stevie growled out before pushing Sam away and standing up. Sam started to lunge at him again but he was jerked back roughly by two waiters. Without any words he was dragged towards the exit and with a quick look back he saw that the same was happening to Matt and Stevie. Once they reached the door the maitre'd regarded them with cool eyes and said that they were no longer welcome in the establishment. He motioned for them to exit and once they were out the doors were slammed behind them.

"I cannot believe this," Matt stated in disbelief, "I have never in my life been thrown out of a restaurant...I've never been thrown out of anything."

"Get over it, Matt...it's not the end of the world." Sam said as he massaged his sore knuckles and watched his brother. Stevie's body was strung so tightly he was practically vibrating and Sam was just waiting for him to make his first move. He didn't want to fight his brother but after what he said about Mercedes he would happily do it. Resorting to low blows during fight was not a new occurrence for Stevie so Sam was expecting something but he didn't expect him to go after Mercedes.

"This isn't done..." Stevie muttered softly, "this isn't done by a long shot."

Sam ignored the feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach as he regarded his brother. He may have overstepped with his comment about their dad but he refused to take it back even though he had a feeling that he might regret it down the line. Stevie was usually so happy-go-lucky and laid back that it was easy to miss that underlying darkness to him that never really went away. Stevie could make his life a living hell and Sam knew it, he just hoped that he kept Mercedes out of it because between Stevie and Matt he didn't know how much more he could take.

After Stevie gave his cryptic warning he turned away from Sam and walked away but he didn't go too far. Sam decided to follow suit and he walked off in the opposite direction leaving Matt muttering to himself.

Five minutes later Crystal and Quinn came out and they were both juggling a couple of to-go boxes. Crystal made a beeline for Stevie and Sam watched as Quinn shot a longing glance in their direction before reluctantly heading towards Sam.

"Are you okay?" Quinn asked once she got to him.

"Do you care?"

She sighed as she looked at him, "of course I care...about both of you and I don't want to see either of you hurt."

Sam rolled his eyes as he watched Quinn shoot another concerned look in Stevie's direction. Crystal was now holding his head as she blew on the wound over his eye like he was a child that got a boo-boo cleaned with an antiseptic wipe.

"What were you fighting about?"

"Does it matter?"

"Considering you got us all thrown out and banned from one of the nicest restaurants in town, yeah, I think it matters? Was it worth it?"

Sam instantly thought back to what Stevie said about Mercedes, "yeah, it was worth it," he said without pause.

"Hmmm, was it about me perchance?"

Sam gave Quinn an annoyed look, "no, it wasn't about you. Do you honestly think either one of use would get into a fist fight over you?"

Quinn's hazel eyes instantly filled with tears and Sam immediately felt like a jackass.

"Look Quinn—"

"No it's fine, and you're right. Why would either of you bother fighting over me?"

Sam opened his mouth to say more but he was distracted by Mercedes coming out of the restaurant. He saw her shoot a quick glance his way before walking towards Matt. He ignored the bubble of jealously growing in his chest as he watched Matt and Mercedes talk.

"Ah...so that's who the fight was about." Quinn said knowingly.

"What are you talking about?" Sam asked evasively, "I never said who the fight—"

"You didn't have to," Quinn interrupted, "you always did wear your heart on your sleeve."

"Look, the thing with me and Mercedes..."

"Is none of my business, I know. But I'm not blind and neither is anyone else, except for maybe her. How long do you think you're going to be able to play the boss and employee roles?"

"For somebody that admits that something isn't her business you sure have a lot to say about it."

Quinn chuckled lightly, "well, you'll have to forgive me, I'm nosy by nature."

"Yeah, I remember," Sam gave a small chuckle and he relaxed slightly. After the fight with his brother he didn't have the energy to be at odds with Quinn as well, at least not for tonight.

"Are you ready to go?" Quinn asked, "All the stress of today has worn me out."

"Yeah we can go, just first let me..."Sam trailed off as noticed out of the corner of his eye that Mercedes was heading to where he assumed her car was parked. "Just let me..."

"Go ahead Sam, I'll wait by the car." Quinn said dryly as she followed his gaze, "You should just tell her, you know."

"Tell her what?"

"That you're halfway in love with her."

"I'm not..."Sam started to say he wasn't but he found that his mouth wouldn't let him form the words. Quinn just gave him a knowing look again before sending one last regretful look at Stevie and Crystal and heading to his car.

As soon as Quinn left Sam started speed walking in Mercedes direction, he didn't want to startle her but he needed to catch her and she walked surprisingly fast in those deliciously high heels of hers. Once he was close enough that he could reach out and touch her he saw her start to slow down before taking a deep breath and turning around. She looked slightly startled to see him so close but she bounced back quickly and asked him sarcastically,

"What do you want Mike Tyson?"

Sam smiled slightly at her quip before saying quietly, "we need to talk."

Mercedes rolled her eyes and gave an unladylike snort.

"No, we actually really don't. I have big plans for tonight and you're not ruining those like you ruined dinner."

Sam instantly felt bad, he knew she wasn't too keen on their little three-way date from the get-go but he doubted that she ever wanted it to end the way that it did. He couldn't blame her for being pissed off and humiliated and it was all his fault.

"Look, I'm sorry about that, I never meant for things to get that out of control but Stevie just..."

"Stevie, just what?" Mercedes snapped at him.

"He just pushed the wrong buttons, okay?"

"So that's your big defense for fighting your brother in a 5-star restaurant? He pushed the wrong buttons? Are you 12?"

Sam didn't have a comeback for that. He knew he was wrong for lashing out at Stevie the way that he did but after what he said about Mercedes Sam couldn't control himself. He doubted that would be of any consolation to her though, especially after he told her what Stevie had said.

Mercedes clearly had enough for the night because she shook her head at him with a disgusted expression before turning and walking away. Sam quickly grabbed her arm to stop her because he knew if she walked away that he may never have a chance to fix this mess.

"What?" She snapped at him again.

"We need to talk...please." He knew he was pleading but he didn't care.

"Talk about what, exactly? The fact that you've been ignoring me for a week? Or would you rather talk about how you can act like you don't want me one minute but then act jealous when someone else does in the next? Or maybe we could talk about how you thought it would be a great idea to bring your beautiful ex-fiancé out on a date with you. Tell me, Sam what do you want to talk about first?"

Sam was shocked by Mercedes' outburst and he didn't quite know what to say.

"Mercedes...I...all of this complicated."

"Complicated? Now where have I heard that before?"

Sam gave her a confused look, where had she heard that before, because it sure as hell wasn't from him. He wanted to ask her about it but he didn't get a chance because she started talking again.

"How's this for a deal, why don't you keep your complicated feelings that you can't talk about all to yourself and I'll do the same. And on Monday we can both just go on ignoring each other and nobody's feelings will get hurt, how about that?"

Sam heart hurt at the sound of Mercedes' shaking voice. She tried to hide it under an overly bright tone but he could still hear it. He had royally fucked things up and he wanted to fix it but first he would have to fess up about why he thought the ignoring plan was a good one.

"No, I don't want things to be like this between us. I fucked up with the whole ignoring thing and I admit that. I thought...I thought if I held you at arm's length and didn't talk to you then I wouldn't make things worse between us."

"What? WHAT?" Mercedes yelled at him incredulously, "that is a fucking horrible idea!"

"I know! I just...I don't know how to do relationships and after Quinn...I just didn't want to mess this up, okay?"

Sam held his breath as he waited for Mercedes response. She still looked angry but some of it seemed to deflate after his confession.

"I don't want to mess this up either...whatever it is, but us not talking is the worst idea ever."

"Yeah..." Sam chuckled softly, "yeah, it really is."

Hearing Mercedes say that she didn't want to mess their...whatever up either lifted a heavy weight off his shoulders that he didn't realize he had been carrying around. "So we talk...?" Mercedes asked hesitantly, "and nothing else."

"Nothing else." Sam replied back firmly.

"Okay, well if you want to come over we can talk tonight...or wait...or whatever." Mercedes rambled nervously.

Sam smiled down at her gently, "I would love to. I just have to drop Quinn off first."

As soon as the words were out of his mouth Sam instantly regretted them, especially when Mercedes slightly tensed up. He was already working out a way to fix yet another mess that he had created with his big mouth when he heard,

"Okay, that's fine. I'll see you after you drop her off."

Sam breathed a sigh of relief and gave Mercedes a grateful smile. He appreciated the fact that she was willing to try in spite of everything that had happened that night. He leaned forward and considering pressing a soft kiss to her lips but at the last minute he changed his mind and ran his lips lightly against the smooth skin of her cheek before moving up to her ear.

"I'll see you soon," he breathed into her ear and he bit back a grin when he felt her shudder slightly against him. After he felt the jerky movement of her head nodding he moved away and gave her one last lingering look before turning on his heel and walking away. As he made his way across the parking lot he looked over and saw his brother glaring at him. He sent a small nod in Stevie's direction and he watched as his brother's glare only seemed to increase in intensity. Suddenly, Stevie's attention shifted and he was looking past Sam to his car where Quinn was standing. Sam thought the glare that Stevie was throwing him was intense but it increased tenfold when his gaze landed on Quinn. Sam had never seen his brother look like that and he hoped he hadn't opened a can of worms that he was unable to put the lid back on.

"He hates me doesn't me?" He heard Quinn ask softly once he made it to the car.

"No he's just...no, he doesn't." Sam said unconvincingly.

Quinn gave him a look that said she didn't believe him, but she didn't say anything. The Stevie/Quinn thing was far from over but for the rest of the night it was no longer going to be Sam's problem.

An hour later he found himself in front of Mercedes' apartment waiting patiently to be let in. The smile on his face faltered slightly when he saw that she was still wearing the distractingly tight black dress from dinner. He had hoped that she would have changed out of it into something more comfortable...and covered up because he knew it would be hard to keep his promise of just talking when he had a full view of her in that dress.

"Hi." Sam choked out from his suddenly dry mouth.

"Hi," Mercedes said looking slightly frazzled, "why don't you come in and have a seat."

"Is everything okay?" Sam asked as he made his way to the couch.

"No…yeah…I'm fine. I just got off the phone with someone and…"

"And…?"

"And the person left me with a lot to think about, that's all."

"Okay…"Sam said hesitantly, he wanted to ask more but he knew it wasn't his place. "So, are you ready for that talk?"

"Yes, as ready as I'll ever be I guess. Why don't you go first?" Mercedes settled on the couch across from him and tucked her feet underneath her. As she got comfortable Sam fought to take his mind off what happened the last time they were both on this particular couch and focus on the conversation at hand. He promised her that they were just talking and that is exactly what they were going to do, even if it killed him.

"Well…what exactly do you want me to start? Maybe it will be better if you just ask questions and I'll answer them."

"Okay fair enough. Question #1, what are we?"

"Wow, that's forward." Sam chuckled nervously.

"We've been beating around the bush for weeks now and I'm tired of it and I hope you're tired too so let's get this over with. What are we?"

"Well…I…don't kno—what do you think we are?"

Mercedes rolled her eyes at Sam's stammering and said, "I think we're a fucked up mess."

"I think we have our issues but we aren't that bad," Sam said defensively, "we've had a rough start and it's mostly my fault but we can fix it and move forward."

"Why should I?"

"Why—what?" Sam suddenly had a sinking feeling that this conversation wasn't going to go the way he hoped it would. "Why should you move forward with me?"

"Yep." Mercedes released her 'p' with an audible pop as she lounged back on the arm of the sofa and gave him a challenging look. "Why should I put myself out there for you to ignore one minute and then to act possessive over the next whenever the mood strikes you? What is so goddamned special about you that I should let myself get hurt repeatedly?"

Sam closed his eyes in shame, "Nothing," he said softly. "If I were a better man I would tell you that you that I wasn't worth it and you should get as far away from me as humanly possible. But I'm not a better man so I'm asking you to give me…give us a chance. I can't promise to be perfect but I can promise to do better. I just…I don't want to lose you, to lose this thing that we have."

After a long pause that had Sam's hands sweating her heard Mercedes ask softly, "what about Quinn?" Sam knew it was his chance to clear the air totally about his ex and her pregnancy but something held him back. He didn't know if it were some misplaced loyalty to Stevie but even after everything he didn't feel right spilling his brother's secret. He knew not mentioning Quinn's pregnancy especially when it was the sole reason she was his life again was a huge omission but he felt…hoped that his brother would get his shit together soon and claim his child so that Sam could get that proverbial monkey off his back and then he could talk about it freely.

"My relationship with Quinn is—"

"I swear to God if you say complicated then I'm kicking you out of my apartment right now!" Mercedes said heatedly.

"No, I wasn't going to say complicated," Sam laughed, "Its different...the word I was going to use was different. Once upon a time I thought I loved Quinn but after what she did I knew that I hated her and I've hated her for years."

"And now?"

"Now? Now, I feel sorry for her. There is still anger there but I'm not bitter like I used to be. I'll never trust her again and if she walked out of my life right now I wouldn't lose a wink of sleep over it but I don't hate her, and I don't love her. She needs my help with something and hopefully after she gets it we'll be done with each other. That's it, I swear it. I don't love her and she doesn't love me and neither of us wants to be together. I promise."

Mercedes gazed at him coolly for awhile before finally saying, "I believe you."

Sam could hardly control the huge smile that broke across his face. He wanted to lean across the space separating them and kiss her but he did promise to keep their meeting platonic so he stayed seated.

"Is there anything else you wanted to know?"

"Yes, what about work?"

"What about it?" After the minefield that was their conversation about Quinn, the work talk seemed like a walk in the park.

"Well, let's say we do start a relationship up, how is it going to work at the office? Are you going to go back to treating me like a piece of furniture that you can't be bothered to acknowledge? Or if things don't work out are you going to kick me to the curb?"

"I already explained to you about the ignoring thing, it wasn't my finest moment by a long shot but trust me I'll never do it again."

"Fine. What about my job? To be frank we shouldn't be hooking up anyway but since we are both like moths to a flame we should at least both go into this with all the facts. If we start something up and it ends, will you fire me?"

"Will you still want to work for me if things don't work out?"

"Don't answer my question with a question."

Sam raised his eyebrow at her snappy reply but he refused to answer until she answer is question first.

Mercedes realized what he was doing and blew out an annoyed breath, "look, to be completely honest I don't know. I love my job but I hate uncomfortable situations and our 'thing' has the potential to be incredibly awkward if it went sour. I just don't want to be on my way to the unemployment line if we can't make this relationship work. I'm not saying that I wouldn't leave but I would like to know whether or not I would have to leave if we broke-up."

"No," Sam said simply, "you're incredible at that job and for as long as you want it, it's yours no matter what happens with us."

"Promise?" Mercedes held her pinky out to Sam and he smirked before bringing his pinky up to hers. He slid his pinky sensuously down the inside of hers and he saw her eye flutter shut as he hooked their two fingers. "Promise." He whispered back huskily.

In Sam's mind a new promise negated the validity of the previous one, or that's what he convinced himself as he tugged on Mercedes pinky and pulled her forward. When he finally had her sprawled over him he brought their pinkies up to his mouth and kissed them. Mercedes mouth tilted up slightly as she leaned towards their pinkies and kissed them as well. They stared into each other's eyes before letting their pinkies drop from between them and latching onto each other's lips. Sam wasted no time at all grabbing Mercedes and lifting her up and over him until she was straddling his hips. The innocent make-out session quickly turned R-rated when Mercedes started circling her hips up and down and around his painfully hard dick. He clenched at her hips to get her to slow down but he was distracted when he felt her dress riding up further and further under his hands. At this point it had made its way around her waist leaving her pussy covered with nothing more than a pair of very skimpy and very wet black panties. Sam hooked his fingers onto the side of the panties and unceremoniously ripped them off. Mercedes gave a muffled 'oh' against his lips as she felt the sudden cool air on her nether regions. She stopped grinding on Sam long enough to focus her eyes on the thin scrap of lace that was dangling from his fingers,

"Do you know how much those cost?" She asked feigning anger.

"It doesn't matter what it cost, I'll be you as many more pairs of them as you want." Mercedes purred appreciatively against his lips but she abruptly stopped when she heard Sam say, "And then I'm going to rip all of those off of you too."

"You had better not!" She laughed as she bit at his juicy bottom lip. He growled in appreciation before sliding his hand down to her dripping pussy.

"Damn it baby, you're so fucking wet." Sam slid his finger up and down her slit as she wiggled against him wantonly. He slid two fingers inside and instantly groaned at how tight she was, he needed to be inside of her now.

"Wrap your legs around me." Sam said against Mercedes neck.

"What?" She asked confusedly but did it anyway. As soon as her legs were secure behind his back, Sam stood up and headed towards the bedroom.

"Sam! Put me down, I'm too heavy."

Stopped midway to the bedroom and gave Mercedes a stern look, "what did I tell you about that?"

"It's just that—"

"It's just nothing, I already told you that you're perfect to me, now stop talking and enjoy the ride."

Mercedes gave a short giggle before leaning down and placing another soft kiss against Sam's lips. He quickly deepened the kiss and their sweet moment turned into a fierce battle between two tongues. They were both biting and sucking at whatever bit of exposed flesh they could get to. Sam's steps faltered many times before he just thought 'fuck it' and slammed Mercedes up against the nearest wall.

She released a startled whoosh of air but quickly recovered and started tearing at his shirt. He regretfully put her down so that he could unbutton his pants. Once he had those kicked off, along with his underwear, grabbed the ends of Mercedes dress that were no almost up to the bottom of her breasts and ripped it from her body. As soon as the garment was out of the way Sam grabbed Mercedes' legs and wrapped them around him and whispered into her ear, "hang on tight baby" before plunging deep inside her.

Sam was sure he was going to black out from the feeling of being inside her again. He barely had time to settle in before Mercedes started moving against him. He followed her lead and before long they had found their perfect stroke. She had wound her hands tight into his blonde hair and he buried his head into throat and licked at her skin as he moved in and out of her.

"Sam I…need…go faster…please…"

Sam braced his hand on the wall beside Mercedes head and started pounding into her over and over again.

Pictures beside them started to fall to the floor but neither one of them noticed. Sam brought his mouth back to Mercedes and swallowed her numerous cries, of 'oh God' that came from her mouth over and over again. He felt the familiar tightening in his stomach and he reached between the two of them and pinched Mercedes' clit. Suddenly everything tightened, her fists in his head tangled into his hair even more, her thighs clenched harder around his waist and her pussy squeezed him dry. As they came down from their high Sam managed to stagger into Mercedes bedroom just far enough for them to both collapse on the bed.

"Oh. My. God" Mercedes said in astonishment, "It was good before but Oh. My. God."

Sam laughed somewhat smugly and leaned onto his side to place a kiss on Mercedes' upturned nose, "I couldn't have done it without you, Miss Jones."

"You damn right you couldn't have done it without me" Mercedes said huskily as she grabbed his head and pulled him down for another steamy kiss. For the next half hour the spent the time coming down from their high and kissing softly and getting to know each other's bodies. They both wanted more but neither one of them could keep their eyes open. After one exceptionally large yawn from Mercedes, Sam finally decided to call it a night for the both of them. He navigated the covers so that he was able to get her under them without her actually getting off the bed because it was clear she had no intentions of moving. As she sunk further into the bed Sam couldn't help but laugh at how cute she was. She could go from being a complete sex kitten one minute to be complete cute and cuddly the next. Sam didn't know what he was going to do with this woman that was tying him into knots but he knew one thing for sure, he had no intention of letting her go.

Before Sam let claim him he headed to the bathroom to handle his business and get cleaned up before bed. He ran through his normal ritual quickly but just before he went back into the bedroom he remembered that he needed to dispose of the condom. Sam looked down at his now flaccid and unwrapped appendage and the lust filled haze that he had been under ever since he pulled Mercedes across the couch suddenly was lifted.

The only thoughts that ran through Sam's head were: There was no condom. They had forgotten the condom. They had sex without a condom.

They had sex without a condom.

Sam wasn't worried about diseases because he knew that he was clean and he had no doubt that Mercedes was as well. Diseases didn't scare him at all, but babies did. He never EVER had sex without a condom for that sole reason and he couldn't believe that he had done it now. He knew that he was jumping the gun a bit because for all he knew she was on birth control or she couldn't even get pregnant at this time of the month so all of this worry would probably be for nothing.

But Sam had a feeling, way deep in the pit of his stomach that was rarely ever wrong, that was telling him that he needed to be worried.

They had sex without a condom.

What in the hell we're they going to do now?


	17. The Biggest Lie

Mercedes smiled sleepily as she snuggled deeper under her comforter. She could hear water running in the bathroom and the sound of it soothed her. Having sex with Sam wasn't a part of her original plan but after a conversation with Kurt on her way back from the restaurant she realized that fighting her attraction to Sam and questioning everything wasn't worth all the stress is caused.

"Kurt? It's me Mercedes."

"Duh...I have caller id. What's up?"

"I have a problem and I need your help."

"What else is new?"

Mercedes rolled her eyes and said, "are you going to help me or not?"

"What it is this time...oh wait, let me guess, Sam?"

Mercedes refused to answer and Kurt took her silence as confirmation.

"So what did Sam do this time?"

"He invited Quinn to dinner tonight."

"Woah...ok, I wasn't expecting that. Are they back together?"

"No, he says that their relationship isn't romantic but it's complicated."

"Complicated? What the hell does that mean?"

"Obviously I don't know because if I did I wouldn't need your help!" Mercedes snapped.

"Calm down, girl. Any type of relationship with an ex, especially one that you were going to marry, is bound to be complicated to some degree so maybe it really isn't anything to worry about."

"Maybe..." Mercedes said uncertainly.

"Do you think he's lying?"

"No, but I do think he's holding something back, I just don't know what it is...maybe I'm not supposed to know."

"Well, technically speaking unless he's stringing both you and Quinn along then whatever happens between them is his business."

"I guess..."

"Look, I'm not saying let the man play you but unless you honestly think that he is hung up on Quinn and is going to be doing both of you at the same time then maybe you should give him the benefit of the doubt."

"I guess..."

Kurt gave a loud sigh, "Mercedes, I love you but sometimes you have to stop over-analyzing everything and just feel. You could miss out on something great because you are desperately trying to make sure everything lines up perfectly. Sometimes life is messy and it doesn't always work out the way we want it to, but that's the beauty of it."

"I guess..."

"If you say that one more time..."Kurt started angrily, "Do you want him or not?"

"Ye..I don't know...I don't want to be hurt." She finished pathetically.

"That's not what I asked you. Do. You. Want. Him?"

"YES!"

"Good, then put on your big girl panties and go after him. Ask him the questions that you need answered for your peace of mind and if he can't deliver then kick his ass to the curb."

"And if he gives me the answers that I want?"

"Then bang him like a screen door in a hurricane."

"Kurt!"

"What? You know you want to and you've wanted to since the beginning. The only thing holding you back is this incessant game that the two of you seem determined to play with each other. You two can go round and round until the cows come home or you can deal with your situation head on."

"Easier said than done."

"Maybe, but you can either get it done or you can continue doing this. What's it going to be?"

"I'll talk to him and let the chips fall where they may."

"Good girl. Are we still on for tomorrow?"

"Actually...no. Sam is coming over tonight and we're supposed to talk so if he gives me the answers I want then hopefully I will be a little too preoccupied or too worn out to be good company."

"So wait, if he was already coming to talk then what in the hell did you call me for?"

"Because I was halfway ready to call and tell him not to come over. I'm still freaked out about having this conversation but now thanks to you I feel a lot more confident about it. So thank you."

Kurt made a loud 'hmmph' noise before saying, "well...whatever, you're welcome."

Mercedes laughed at Kurt's sullen attitude because she knew he was just mad that his brilliant plan wasn't so brilliant after all.

"I love you Kurt," Mercedes trilled in a sing-songy voice.

"Whatever Mercedes. Don't call me anymore."

Mercedes laughed loudly before making a kissing noise and promising that she would call him the first minute she was available to give him the deets.

"Take care of yourself Mercy," Kurt said seriously, "I want you to get your guy, but I want to you to be happy as well and sometimes those two things aren't mutually exclusive."

"But you said earlier..."

"I know what I said and I stand by it. You do need to take a chance but you also need to protect yourself. Don't let a nice body, a cute pair of eyes, and some great sex mess up your common sense or you sense of self-preservation. You're smarter about relationships then you give yourself credit for so you just have to use that sense when it comes to dealing with Sam Evans. I don't want you hurt."

"Okay...so what are saying?" Kurt was giving her whiplash.

"Go for it with Sam and live a little. If it's just about the sex then enjoy it for what it is, but if it's more than that take your time to figure out what that really is. Sam could be a good roll in the hay or he could be the love of your life or somewhere in between...be open enough to find out what he is exactly. Above all be smart, and don't leave your heart unprotected. It's good to fall but don't fall so fast and carelessly that you can't prevent your heart from being broken."

"Wow..."Mercedes choked out. "I didn't realize you had given these much thought, where was this speech with my last boyfriend?"

"Shane?" She could practically hear Kurt rolling his eyes, "you had about as much chance of falling in love with his boring ass as I do of falling in love with this fountain drink that is currently warping my wood table. I never worried about you losing your heart to a man until you met Sam Evans. I saw the way you looked at him the day I caught him in your living room and I've never seen you look at anyone like that ever. So yeah, I've given it a lot of thought. "

Mercedes didn't say anything else as she listened to Kurt's quiet breathing on the phone. What could she say? She blinked back the tears that threatened to well in her eyes.

"Thank you Kurt."

"No problem babe. You deserve the best and Sam Evans had better be that or he is going have me to deal with!"

Mercedes gave a watery giggle.

"I'm serious, and you make sure to tell him too. I will kick his ass if he hurts you."

At that Mercedes burst into loud laughter that quickly turned into snorts.

"Mercedes? Mercedes! Mercedes!" Kurt kept yelling over and over again. "Stop laughing, this shit is serious."

"Oh God..." She breathed out as her laughter finally died down. "You're cute Kurt."

"Mmmm-hmmmm..."

Mercedes bit back another giggle, "I love you but I'm finally at home now and Sam should be here soon so I have to straighten up a bit."

"Alright then, call me and let me know everything...I mean, every position, every surface you did it on-"

"Bye Kurt!"

"Bye babe, love ya!" Kurt yelled out quickly before Mercedes pushed end on her phone. Once inside all of Kurt's advice became nothing more than white noise in Mercedes' head and she went right back to worrying about how the night would end. If only she knew it would end the way she would have paid a little bit more attention to Kurt's advice...

As Mercedes thought of her earlier freak-outs she couldn't help but laugh again at how silly it all seemed now. Kurt was right, getting right to the heart of the problem was smarter than just beating around the bush for weeks. She still had a niggling worry about what Kurt said about protecting her heart but she was pushed it aside for now. The water in the bathroom had finally cut off and Sam was on his way back in the room.

A huge smiled spread on Mercedes face as soon as the door opened but it quickly died on her lips the second she saw the expression on Sam's face. He looked like he saw a ghost and he wanted to be sick at the same time. It frankly scared her and the stilted way he walked towards her side of the bed wasn't helping any. Mercedes didn't want to freak out but Sam's behavior was not normal and it was a complete 180 from how he was before he went into the bathroom.

When he said heavily down on the edge of the bed beside her hip she sat up and pulled the sheets up to cover her still naked body.

"Sam, are you okay?"

"Please don't be mad at me." Sam said quietly.

A ball of dread instantly started to form in the pit of Mercedes' stomach at his words.

"Why...why would I be mad at you? Is this about Quinn?"

"Wha-Quinn?" Sam gave her a confused look, "No, this has nothing to do with her. This is about us...this is about my stupid mistake."

Mercedes tried her best to ignore all of the worst case scenarios that were popping into her head as she took a deep breath and said, "What mistake?"

"We didn't use a condom." He said simply.

Of all the things that Mercedes expected him to say that wasn't it. At that moment anything Quinn related would have been a welcome replacement.

"Uhhhhhh..." Mercedes didn't know what to say. "I have to go to the bathroom."

"Oh!" Sam looked startled at her request but quickly got out of her way. She grabbed the robe that she had thankfully left strewn across the bed earlier that morning and quickly threw it on before rushing past Sam into the bathroom.

Once inside she quickly handled her business and as she did so she buried her face in her hands. Yes, the sex was good but she was usually so much smarter than this. She had always used a condom when having sex so the way her body felt afterward when not using one was a new experience. One she should have picked on a lot sooner. Mercedes felt like such an idiot at that moment.

After flushing the toilet she went to the sink and washed her hands before cupping them and splashing her face with water. She ignored the bubble of panic in her chest and tried to think of the positives. She knew that she was clean and she was fairly certain that he was as well...at least she hoped. Sam seemed like the type of man that took care of himself so she forced the worry that he was carrying around some super mutated version of the Clap out of her head.

So that only left pregnancy. Mercedes glanced down to the counter of her bathroom sink and her eyes instantly brightened. She picked up her pack of pills and breathed a sigh of relief. She was diligent about her pills she took them every day at the same time like clockwork and she never missed one. All the worry began to seep out of Mercedes but the feeling was cut short when she opened up the pack and noticed that it was empty.

Once again Mercedes stopped breathing as she studied the empty package. Her mind frantically started working as she tried to think about when she was done with the pack. It had been such a hectic, stressful week at work that she had been all over the place emotionally and mentally. Finally after what seemed like forever it finally clicked in her mind that the last time she took the pill was the morning of a meeting with a potential client at 8 am. A meeting that took place on Monday. Mercedes fought back panic and she replayed Monday in her mind. She remembered that she kept reminding herself throughout the day that she had to go to the pharmacy and pick up her new pack of pills but somewhere along the line she forgot. On Tuesday when she was supposed to take it the next morning she remembered she never picked them up but this time she was smart enough to leave herself an alert on her phone but because of meetings that ran late the pharmacy was closed. The next day she picked the pills up during her lunch break but because she had to rush back she didn't take them so they have been sitting in her purse ever since.

Four days without a pill.

She never missed her pill, she never missed picking a new pack up on time but of course, the one time she had unprotected sex she did all those things. There was a part of her that wanted to cry, she wanted to scream and yell and throw things and blame Sam but she couldn't. The complete fuck-up of the pill taking was her fault and the missing condom was on both of them. He may have forgotten it but she was an equal participant as well. Getting so caught up in the moment that you don't realize that your guy is going bare-back is no excuse.

"Mercedes, are you okay?"

She started at the sound of his voice, she wasn't ready to face Sam but she refused to hide in her bathroom all night.

"I'm coming." She said softly.

After drying her still semi-wet face and pulling her hair back into a loose ponytail Mercedes knew what she was going to do. It may not be the best idea and it may bite her in the ass later but she was determined to do it.

Once she got back inside her bedroom she found Sam sitting on her bed with his head buried in his hands. She went up to him and ran her hands through the hair at the nape of his neck.

"I'm so sorry," he said, the sound slightly muffled by his hands. "I never make this mistake. Never! I don't know what I was thinking."

"Shhh, it's okay. I wasn't thinking either."

Sam looked at her and the worry in his eyes seemed to lessen a little bit.

"So you're not mad?" He asked hopefully.

"At you? No. It takes two to tango and we were both there. We just got caught up." She shrugged helplessly.

"I swear to you I'm clean, but I'll get tested if you need me to."

"No, it's fine I believe you. And for the record I'm clean too."

Sam smiled slightly at her but then it faltered slightly.

"We got the whole STD thing out of the way but what about pregnancy? I-"

"It's fine." Mercedes said quickly, "I'm on the pill so we're covered on that too."

Sam gave out a whoosh of air as he breathed an audible sigh of relief.

"Wow...that's...thank God."

"Yeah." Mercedes agreed quietly.

"I'm not saying that in a bad way...it's just babies aren't something that I want, you know?"

"Yeah," Mercedes said again even though hearing him say that bothered her more than she wanted to admit.

"It's just that some people would make good parents and I'm not one of them. Kids are just...me and kids don't mesh. At all. That's why the condom thing is so weird, I never forget for that specific reason."

"Well, there is a first and hopefully last time for everything right?" She lamely joked.

"Whew!" Sam laid back on her bed, "that was close, I thought my heart was going to beat out of my chest!" He laughed loudly. "I feel like a thousand pound weight has been lifted off of my chest, what about you?"

"Yeah, I feel the same way." Mercedes gave him a slight nod as she tried to fight back tears. She felt horrible for lying but given his reaction she felt as if she had done the right thing. There was no reason for the both of them to be carrying around the burden of a possible baby.

Sam obviously noticed that Mercedes wasn't as happy as she should have been because he sat up and asked worriedly, "Hey, are you okay? Are you sure everything is fine?"

Mercedes knew this was her last chance to come clean with the least amount of fireworks but she couldn't do it. At the end of the day missed pills or no missed pills it may not lead to a pregnancy so there was no need in getting Sam all upset about it.

"No, it's fine. It's just been a long day and it's taken a lot out of me. I'm just tired."

"Oh, okay. Well do you want me to leave? I don't want to impose."

There was a part of Mercedes that did want him to leave so that she could cry and worry by herself but then again despite it all she needed him.

"Please stay?" She asked quietly.

Sam gave her a soft smile before leaning forward and placing a small kiss on her lips.

"I'll make sure the front door is locked and all the lights are off, okay?"

She gave him a slight nod and as soon as he was out the door she took off her robe and threw on a pair of boy shorts and a tight tank top. By the time Sam made it back in the room she had the covers completely pulled back and all the extra throw pillows tossed on the ground.

The both climbed into bed and met each other in the middle. Sam gazed at her lips before closing his eyes and leaning his forehead against hers.

"Just sleeping?"

She laughed quietly, "just sleeping."

He poked out his bottom lip playfully for just a second before giving Mercedes a lingering kiss. He reached over and clicked off the light switch by the head of the bed before lying down beside her on the bed. The lay facing each other for several minutes before Sam leaned over and kissed her again.

"Everything is going to be okay, right?"

"Right." Mercedes said quietly, her heart breaking for the lie she was telling.

Mercedes could make out the smile that Sam gave her before he leaned forward and kissed her one last time. He whispered good night to her and she quickly whispered one back. She waited until she heard his breathing even out before she turned over and allowed the tears to come.

If she was pregnant what the hell was she going to do? It was clear that Sam didn't want kids and the last thing she ever wanted was to bring a child into the world with a man that didn't want it. She knew she may be jumping the gun a little bit but the nagging feeling just wouldn't go away. If she was pregnant then her whole life would change. All of her carefully laid out plans would have to be scrapped for new ones. Her selfish existence would be no more because she would have to live and do everything for another person. The world as she knew it would be completely different.

Mercedes couldn't help but give a sardonic laugh under her breath at the irony of it all. After weeks of judging and calling Sam out for his half-truths and 'complicated' relationships she came along and took the cake in one fell swoop. He may have given her the runaround on the several occasions about his past but she flat out lied to his face about their possible future. There was no excuse for it but even still Mercedes couldn't make herself turn over and tell him the truth. She may be wrong...she prayed she was wrong but if she wasn't it would be her burden to carry. He made his feelings about children perfectly clear and she would never trap him into a situation that he was whole-heartedly against.

So, for now she would enjoy him. She would savor ever minute she had with him because she knew that if she was pregnant their days were numbered. In that moment Mercedes realized what a selfish person that she could be. That she could and would keep a huge life-changing secret to herself just to keep Sam in her arms for a little bit longer. Deep down she knew she should do the right thing, she knew that she should tell him about the missed pills and the very real possibility that he may become a father. She should tell him but she wouldn't, not now at least.

Mercedes pulled Sam's arm around her and she wiped tears from her eyes as he snuggled in behind her. His hand settled on her stomach and for a moment she let herself imagine that she was pregnant and that he knew about it and was happy. Tears ran unchecked down Mercedes' cheeks as she lived in her little fantasy for a few minutes longer. She treasured every second of it because she knew it would never be a reality. As she lay there she heard Kurt's words echoing in her head once again:

Above all be smart, and don't leave your heart unprotected. It's good to fall but don't fall so fast and carelessly that you can't prevent your heart from being broken."

Mercedes appreciated the advice, she really did. Too bad it was too little, too late.


	18. Men Plan, God Laughs

"Daddy?"

A little girl with light brown skin and honey colored curls held her arms out to him.

"Hold me, Daddy?"

Sam jerked awake and looked around wildly, the voice was so clear in his head he was halfway expecting to see a little girl in the room with her arms outstretched. Once he realized that it was nothing more than a dream and there was no little girl his labored breathing slowed down. He fell back against the pillows and rubbed his hand over his face. Even though he knew logically it was a dream it didn't stop his heart from beating rapidly in his chest. It wasn't from fear, it was from something else that he was afraid to name. He blamed his earlier conversation with Mercedes for the new twist his dreams had taken. The only other time he had imagined being a father was when he was about to marry Quinn but that idea died with the reveal of her infidelity. Marriage, babies, family...he all associated that with Quinn and when their would-be union imploded all of his dreams of that type of future went with it. For years he was content to be a bachelor and he never thought he would want to change that but now he wasn't so sure he wanted that future anymore.

He rolled over and watched Mercedes sleep peacefully beside him. She was changing him slowly but surely and he wasn't sure how he felt about it. When he realized that they didn't use a condom his first reaction was to freak out because what he told her was true he NEVER forgot the condom. He had never, ever been so into any woman ever that he forgot to wrap it up.

Until her.

There was something about her that had him breaking all the rules and imagining futures that he thought were dead to him. When he told her that he didn't want babies that was the truth. That had been his truth for so long he didn't remember anything else. But now as he lay beside her and listened to her even breathing he realized that 'his truth' may not be so true after all. He wasn't ready to build a nursery in his penthouse anytime soon but the idea of babies wasn't the terrifying prospect that it had been only a few short hours ago.

Sam rubbed his hand over his face again before lifting his head slightly to look at the alarm clock on the nightstand on Mercedes' side of the bed. It read 8:52 and even though Sam made it a point never to get out of bed before 10 on normal Saturday he was going to make an exception today because he was starving. He crept out bed as quietly as he could before tip-toeing to the restroom. He handled his business quickly before washing his hands and heading to the kitchen. Once there he said a quick prayer that Mercedes would have a larger selection of food than she did last time before opening the refrigerator. His prayers were answered when he saw that she had a refrigerator that while not stocked still looked a lot better than the barren wasteland that it had been on his last visit. He surveyed what he had in front of him and he quickly deduced that he had enough ingredients to make a pretty decent omelet.

He was halfway finished with the first one when he heard Mercedes' soft footsteps padding lightly towards the kitchen. Although his plan to surprise her with breakfast in bed was thwarted yet again he still put a big smile on his face to greet her.

"Good morning Merce..." Sam's voice trailed off in confusion as he took in Mercedes standing in the doorway of the kitchen fully dressed with her purse on her shoulder.

"Hey Sam." She said quietly but she wouldn't meet his eyes.

"Are you going somewhere?" He asked even though it was obvious that she was. "I was making omelets for breakfast." He finished lamely.

"Thank you," she said, still not meeting his eyes, "it smells really good and I would love to try some but there is something I have to take care of first."

"Oh...okay, well do you want me to take you?"

"NO!" She yelled, unnaturally loud, "I don't need for you to take me at all. I just have to run and get something, I won't be gone long. You can stay if you like and finish breakfast."

Sam eyed her suspiciously because even though Mercedes was clearly talking to him she refused to make eye contact with him. If this had been the first time they had slept together he may have been worried but he didn't see any reason why she should have morning after jitters. The only thing he could think of was that the condom scare freaked her out more than she admitted.

"Are you okay? I know we talked about being clean and everything last night but if you need me to be checked again for your peace of mind, I promise you it's not problem."

"What?" She looked at him dazedly, "tested?"

"Yeah...STDs, do you not remember talking about that last night?"

"Oh!" She yelled unnaturally loud again, "Oh, no...I wasn't even...I'm not worried about that." She shook her head slightly and shot a smile in his direction without making eye contact.

"Well, if it's not that then what it is?" Sam said harsher than he intended, he didn't want to push but it was clear that something was bothering her and he was almost positive that it had something to do with him.

"It's nothing, I just need to take care of something. I feel better once it's all taken care of, okay? It's not you I promise...it's me." Mercedes made an obvious effort to make eye contact with Sam which only made him more suspicious. One of the things he admired most about Mercedes was how she never backed down from meeting him eye to eye so to see her now having to make an effort to make minimal eye contact had him really worried.

Although Sam had several questions about Mercedes demeanor he knew he wasn't getting any answers while she was so fixated on taking care of 'something'. He hoped she would be in a better state of mind when she returned because this vacant shell that she was presently was slightly disconcerting.

Sam reached forward and grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards him slightly and he tried to ignore the slight jerk she gave at his initial touch. He leaned forward and placed a soft whisper of a kiss against her lips. He watched as her eyes fluttered closed before he leaned again and pressed his lips more firmly against hers. She stood stiff for just a second before melting into the kiss. He slid his tongue against the seam of her lips and she opened them just enough to allow him entry. He turned his head to the right and brought his hand up to cup her cheek as he deepened the kiss. Their tongues dueled for dominance before finally Sam retreated from the warm suction of her mouth and stepped away completely.

Their breathing came out harshly as Sam's eyes raked over Mercedes body and he fought the urge to grab her again.

"Hurry back." He said roughly.

Mercedes looked as if she wanted to say something but she nodded jerkily instead before grabbing her keys off the kitchen table and rushing out the door. Once she was out Sam braced himself against the kitchen counter and tried to force himself to calm down. All he wanted was a kiss. He just wanted her to be present in the moment for just a second instead of avoiding contact with him. But now he was stuck with a hard-on that he didn't want to get rid of on his own and no guarantee that Mercedes would want to have anything to do with him when she got back.

Sam sighed as he looked at the congealed omelet still lying in the now cold pan. He flung the offending mess in the trash and focused on getting the ingredients for another one put together so that he could get it started when Mercedes came back.

About half an hour later Sam heard a key jangling in a lock. He almost called out a greeting but a bagel to the face taught him better to just assume so he headed towards the living room to make sure it was actually Mercedes. Thankfully it was her and Sam studied her demeanor as she made her way back inside. She tossed her keys into a bowl on the coffee table as she juggled a couple of cups of coffee in her hand. Sam reached forward to help her with them and she sent him a small smile of gratitude. Sam's heart lifted to see that she was making eye contact with him again but he still noticed that she seemed a bit...off. Not as frantic as she had been before but now more subdued, almost somber.

"Is everything okay now?"

Her eyes widened at his question and she gave him a quick nod. "It isn't yet but it will be," she said cryptically but somehow also sadly.

"Are you hungry?"

"Yeah, actually I'm starving."

Sam studied Mercedes' drawn face for a second longer before leaning forward and giving her a big smacking wet kiss. She giggled at the unexpected gesture and Sam smiled in return. Even though it hadn't been long at all it still felt as if it had been forever since her heard Mercedes laugh.

"Come on, I'm about to make you the worlds' greatest omelet ever."

"Ever?" Mercedes asked dubiously.

"Ever." Sam stated matter-of-factly. "I promise you babe, you haven't had anything better than mine."

"Mmmm-hmmmm," Mercedes laughed, "we'll see about that."

Forty-five minutes later Sam and Mercedes rubbed their full stomachs and they lounged on the couch in each other's arms.

"Admit it." Sam demanded.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Mercedes countered.

"Admit that I made the best omelet ever."

"I don't even see how I could do that honestly when I haven't tasted every other omelet in the world."

"Admit it!"

"So, you want me to lie?"

"What?" Sam asked incredulously. He grabbed Mercedes and quickly flipped her so that she was under him on the couch. He began tickling her sides as she screamed with laughter and tried to buck him off.

"Admit it!"

"Never!" She screamed back in between fits of laughter. Finally Sam grabbed her arms and forced them over her head and effectively pinned her to the couch.

"Admit it." He whispered against her lips.

"Nope." She whispered back.

"Admit it..." He murmured against her ear before sliding his tongue down her neck and whispering it again. Mercedes began to squirm under him but Sam refused to let up until she admitted it. He ran his nose down her cleavage before skating his teeth across her covered nipples.

"Sam..." She hissed out through clenched teeth.

"Hmmm, what was that?" He asked playfully, "Was that you admitting that I made the best omelet ever?"

Mercedes glared at him but she stubbornly refused to answer. Sam shrugged his shoulder before focusing his attention on the other breast. Mercedes continued to writhe underneath him but she still refused to utter the magic words. He kept his touch light and teasing which was just enough to get her hot and bothered but not enough to give her any fulfillment.

Finally after about the tenth rake of Sam's teeth against Mercedes right breast she clearly had taken all she could stand.

"Alright! Shit! You made the best omelet ever! Happy?" She screamed.

"Yep," he growled right before he slammed his lips into hers.

Once he released her hands it seemed that there were hands and tongues everywhere. The air around them cackled with electricity as they kissed and stroked and rubbed every inch that they could on each other. Sam was in the process of shimmying Mercedes' shirt from her body when he heard the phone ring.

"Fuck it. Whoever that is can leave a message or call the hell back." He growled into Mercedes ear and she mewled in response.

The phone rang a few more times before he heard, "Hi, you've reached Mercedes. Sorry I missed you but if you leave your name, number, and brief message I'll get back to you as soon as I can!"

"Mercedes? Hi, this is Will…Will Scheuster…Emma's husband. I just wanted to call and let you know that Emma is in the hospital and she's having the baby! She's been in labor all night but she said that she didn't want to bother you until it was almost time. Well, it's time! She's about to start pushing and the doctor said he or she will be here real soon. If you could come by the hospital I know Emma would really love it…so, I hope you get this message in time. Hope to see you soon!"

Sam and Mercedes both stared at the machine for a moment in disbelief before suddenly becoming a simultaneous flurry of motion.

"Oh my God! Where are my shoes?" Mercedes looked around frantically. Sam grabbed the shoes that were right under her nose and handed them to her. She quickly slipped them on before looking around again.

"Where are my keys?"

Sam grabbed them out of the bowl on the coffee table and jangled them in her face.

"Oh…where are my—"

"Calm down, Mercedes." Sam grabbed her by the shoulders and forced her to look at him. "You have everything you need right in front of you. Give me a second to get dressed and we can be on our way, okay?"

Mercedes closed her eyes and took a deep breath and then when she opened them the frantic look was gone from her eyes.

"Okay."

An hour later Sam and Mercedes skidded to a stop in front of the front desk of the maternity ward with a huge teddy bear in Sam's hands. A bored looking nurse eyed them speculatively before asking them somewhat kindly what they needed.

"Uh yes, a friend of ours is having or has already had a baby." Sam explained quickly.

The nurse's bored look turned slightly annoyed after hearing Sam's obvious yet uniformed question.

"Who's the patient?"

Sam's cheeks pinkened in embarrassment, "sorry, the patient is Emma Pillsbury."

"She's in roo—"

"Mercedes!"

Sam and Mercedes turned to see a smiling Will Scheuster headed their way.

"I'm so glad you two could make it…together." Will said looking at the both of them curiously.

"Uh…yeah…"Mercedes stuttered, "after I got your call I thought…I should let…I told Sam…and you know…"

"Congratulations!" Sam said brightly taking the attention off of a flushed Mercedes. He grabbed Will's hand and gave it a hearty shake. "So what was it? A boy or a girl?"

"It's a little boy, his name is Liam." The smile on Will's face grew impossibly ten shades brighter as he beamed about his brand new bundle of joy. "He was 7 pounds even and 20 inches long. He's got Emma's eyes and hair and my mouth and nose."

"Awww…" Mercedes visibly melted at the description while Sam on the other hand rudely mused over how that combination was going to come out. He only hoped the kid didn't inherit his dad's hair texture because a red afro never looked good on anybody—ask Carrot Top.

"When can we see him?" Mercedes asked excitedly.

"Very soon, the nurses took him to clean him up and everything but they should be back by now. Regardless I was given strict instructions to bring you in the second you got here. Emma can't wait to see you."

Mercedes smiled brightly at his words and followed behind him but she stopped short when she realized that Sam wasn't behind him.

"Are you coming?"

Sam glanced around the hospital corridor nervously, "uh, maybe I should just stay out here or go sit in the car or something…"

"Sam, what's wrong with you? Are you nervous about seeing the baby?"

"No!" he practically shouted but he quickly brought the volume down when he realized how loud he sounded. "No…it's just that Emma wants to see you, not me."

"Ugh, Sam you know that's not true. She probably didn't think to call you because she probably assumed that you wouldn't want to come. I'm sure she would love to see you, so come on."

Mercedes grabbed Sam by the hand and dragged him towards Will who was patiently waiting for them to follow. After walking by several door adorned with decorations proclaiming, "It's a Girl!" or "Congrats on Your Baby Boy!" They finally reached a door that had a huge picture of a stork holding a blue bundle it its beak. Will pushed the door open and the first thing Sam saw was Emma lounging peacefully on her bed and beaming down at her baby boy.

Mercedes let out and audible gasp and squeaked out, "he's so adorable."

Sam shot her a dubious look because it was impossible to see what the kid looked like from where they were standing in the doorway. He gently pushed her forward and he watched as her hand started fanning rapidly in her face. Once Emma heard them approaching she looked up and Mercedes and beamed.

"Thank you so much for coming, I'm so glad you could mak—oh, hi Sam." Emma shot Will a confused look but he just sent her a slight shrug back. Mercedes saw the confused look on Emma's face at Sam's surprise arrival and she apparently felt the need to stutter out another explanation.

"I hope you don't mind that I brought him Emma. It's just that…well, when I got your call…it's just that…well…I—"

"Congratulations Emma!" Sam said brightly, nudging Mercedes lightly in the back to get her to stop rambling. "I'm really happy for you guys, I hope you don't mind me showing up."

"No, it's fine! In fact, I'm so happy you're here. I was going to call you once we got home, I figured you wouldn't want to come back to a hospital after…well, I'm just glad you came."

Sam shot her grateful smile for not bringing up the reason that he didn't like hospitals. He hadn't stepped foot in one since his Dad had died and that was a memory he rather not think about at the moment.

"Would you like to hold him?" Emma asked as she held out the baby towards them.

"Oh, I'd love to—"

"No, I don't think that's a good idea—"

Sam and Mercedes both glanced at each other after they gave their answers. Emma gave a little nervous laugh and said, "I figured you wouldn't want to hold him, Sam, its okay I'm not going to force you."

"No, it's not that I don't want to, it's just that I don't think…" He trailed off uncertainly. Truth be told he really didn't want to hold the baby but he didn't think it would be nice to say that.

Mercedes rolled her eyes at him before turning to Emma and saying again that she would love to hold him. She quickly went into the bathroom and washed her hands before coming back in the room and holding her hands out eagerly for the baby. As soon as she had him in her arms tears started to well up in her eyes.

"He's so precious," she whispered, "I can't get over how tiny he is."

Mercedes made her way to the couch next to Emma's bed and she sat down gently with the baby. She looked up at Sam and slightly inclined her head indicating that she wanted him to sit next to her. He considered telling her no but for some reason he felt compelled to be near her at that moment. Seeing her with that baby was breath-taking. Sam was literally having trouble catching his breath as he watched her slightly rock the tiny baby back and forth. He sat down next to her as gently as possible and he finally got a good look at the baby. He was tiny and scrunched up looking and red and he shouldn't have been considered cute in any way but yet and still he was. Sam ran his fingertip over the tiny tuft of red hair that was peeking out from Liam's little beanie.

"Do you want to hold him?" Mercedes asked softly.

"I don't think I would be good at it."

"You'll be fine," she whispered back.

She told him how to place his hands so that he could cradle the baby and once he did it correctly she laid the baby gently into his arms. Liam's weight was hardly registered to Sam. He stared down at the little boy's red sleeping face in wonder. He didn't like kids, he really, really didn't but it was so hard to remember why in that moment. He turned slightly to see Mercedes watching him with wet eyes.

"What?" He asked gently, nudging her playfully.

"You are doing really good with him."

"Why? Because I haven't dropped him like a hot potato?"

"Ha, ha. No. I'm just really surprised by you."

"In a bad way?"

"No, in a really good way."

"Why?"

"I thought you were Mr. Anti-baby so seeing you like this…it's nice, that's all."

"To be honest," he whispered conspiratorially, "I'm a little surprised by myself too, I didn't think I would like this but it's not so bad."

Mercedes smiled softly and leaned forward and gave him a kiss. They were broke apart by the loud throat clearing noise in the background. Will was watching them with a wide smile while Emma patted at the tears streaming down her face.

"So Mercedes," Will started, "do you want to explain again how you and Sam ended up here together?"

Two hours later Sam and Mercedes finally exited Emma's room amid a flurry of kisses and hugs and knowing glances shot in their direction by Emma and Will.

"So do you think they know?" Sam asked sarcastically as they walked by the same perturbed looking nurse at the nurse's station.

"Very funny," Mercedes said drily, "I don't know what the hell I was thinking. I blame the baby."

"It can't possibly be that you were just overcome by the hot guy holding the cute baby?"

"Nope…it was definitely just the baby." Mercedes shot him a quick wink and Sam breathed an internal sigh of relief. Whatever funk she had been in earlier seemed to have disappeared and she was back to her normal self again. Unfortunately for Sam though, Mercedes' good mood dissipated with every mile they passed and by the time they got back to her apartment she seemed more sullen than she did first thing that morning.

"Do you want to grab a bite to eat?"

"No, I'm not hungry." She muttered softly as she gazed out the window. Sam tried to keep his irritation at bay but not knowing what was bothering Mercedes was driving him crazy.

Once they got back to her apartment she turned to him and said good-bye and all but leapt out of the car and ran up the stairs to her apartment. Sam was so stunned and confused by the sudden turn of events that he didn't even register that she was gone until she was halfway up the stairs. Sam angrily snatched his keys out of the ignition and bounded up the stairs behind her and he was just fast enough to wedge his foot in the door before she could shut it behind her.

"Sam? What the—?"

"What the fuck is going on with you?" Sam yelled, he was frustrated as hell and Mercedes literally running from him was the straw that broke the camel's back.

"Don't yell at me," she murmured dangerously, "I want to be alone and this isn't your house. Get out."

"No." He replied stubbornly, "Not until you tell me what the hell is going on with you. Something's been off with you since this morning and I want to know what it is. I want to help you make it better, so please, just tell me."

At Sam's soft plea Mercedes' fierce expression crumpled.

"You're going to hate me…" She cried, "And I won't blame you at all."

"I could never hate you Mercedes," Sam said soothingly even though he was terrified at what her answer may be, "whatever it is we can get through it."

"I lied." Mercedes said simply as she wiped a few wayward tears from her eyes.

"You…you lied? About what?" As he waited for the answer different scenario and different scenario ran through his head and they were all more terrible than the last.

"The birth control, I lied about the birth control."

Sam gave her a confused look, "so what, you're not on it or…"

"I am on it but I haven't taken it the last few days so…"She let the implications hang in the silence.

"So, you could be pregnant?"

"There's a chance, yeah."

"Oh." Sam said quietly. "Okay…so, what do we take a test or go to the doctor or what?"

"We don't have to do any of that." Mercedes reached into purse and pulled out a small white paper bag with a pharmacy logo on it.

"What is that?"

"It's Plan B."

Sam noticed how the bag trembled slightly in Mercedes shaking hand but when he looked at her face it was clear that she was resolute in her decision.

"That's what you got this morning?" Sam asked even though he already knew the answer.

"Yes." She said quietly without meeting his eyes.

"Why?"

"Why?" She asked incredulously, "because we had unprotected sex and because my birth control may no longer be effective. If I don't take this pill now then there's a real good chance that nine months from now we could have a kid."

"Would that be such a bad thing?" Sam asked softly before he could stop himself.

Mercedes looked at him as if he had grown two head before bursting into laughter.

"Are you serious? You hated babies yesterday and never wanted to have one but now all of a sudden it might not be such a bad thing? This isn't a joke Sam!"

"Did I say it was? You've apparently had all night to wrap your head around this, can't I have a few minutes?" He asked, barely holding on to his anger.

"There's nothing to wrap your head around. I'm taking this pill and our…issue won't be an issue any longer."

"So that's it, if we're meant to have a kid, oh well fuck it, because I've got this little pill?"

"Meant to have a kid? Are you insane? We fucked up! You forgot the condom and I forgot the pills. This was nothing but one big massive fuck up."

"Then why haven't you taken the pill yet?"

Mercedes ranting and raving was brought up short by Sam's words and she looked as if she were searching for something to say so Sam pounced.

"If you were so sure that this was all one big fuck-up then why didn't you take care of it in the parking lot of the pharmacy? Why have you been carrying around that little pill all day long when you could've taken it a hundred times? Why even tell me about it? Plan B is nothing but an emergency birth control pill so technically speaking if you take it then you're not really lying about being covered by birth control, now are you? Why have you been clearly agonizing over this all day if it were nothing but a fuck-up?"

"Shut up, Sam."

"No. I want you to look me in the face right now and tell me that this is what you want to do."

"What I want isn't important. I have to think about what the right thing to do is. What the responsible thing is. I can't afford to make life-changing decision solely on what I want to do."

"Why not?"

"This is ridiculous. I'm not going to go around and around with you on this, my mind is made up. I'm taking the pill."

"Ok, fine." Sam stalked into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water and brought it back to her and thrust it into her hands. "Here you go, if you want to take care of our little issue then by all means let me help you."

Mercedes reached into the bag and pulled out a green box and lifted the flap and the both stared down and the single tiny pill.

"This is the right thing to do…this is the responsible thing to do…" Mercedes repeated over and over again.

As Sam watched Mercedes repeat her mantra over and over again he felt the anger drain out of his body. He pressed his forehead against hers and reached between them and popped the pill out and placed it on her hand.

"Whatever you choose to do, I'll support you." The words felt heavy and they hurt coming out but he knew they were true. He played his hand and he lost. He tried to get her to consider another path but she didn't want to so it was time for him to leave it alone. Ultimately it was her body and he would never force her to do something with her body that she didn't want to.

Mercedes stared at the pill for a few seconds later before crying out, "This is stupid! It's just birth control! I take it all the time and never blink an eye so taking this pill is going to be exactly like taking the normal pills."

"Okay." Sam said noncommittally.

"I mean," she rambled on, "there may not even be a baby and all of this worry and anguish will be for nothing. I could be taking this pill for nothing, what's a few missed days, right?"

"Right…"

"It's the smart thing to do, you know? It's just me covering all the bases. It's just me making sure I'm not bringing an unwanted burden into the world."

Mercedes comment made Sam snap to attention. He had been trying to be supportive but he couldn't agree with that statement that she made. Frankly, he couldn't believe that she said it. If their possible, would-be child was nothing more than an unwanted burden to her then he wanted to know why.

"Unwanted burden? I can't….I can't believe that's how you would see our baby."

The absent glazed over look that had descended over Mercedes the second she laid eyes on that pill evaporated within an instant as her eyes flashed with fire.

"Excuse me?"

"An unwanted burden, you just said you didn't want to bring an unwanted burden into the world."

"I'm aware of what I said, why do you think I was referring to myself? I haven't been the one that has been going around and letting everyone and their mama know how much I don't ever want children."

"I know but sometimes people change—"

"Since last night?" Mercedes asked in disbelief, "When I told you that I was covered on the pills the first thing—the FIRST THING that came out of your mouth was how you didn't want to have children. Remember that thousand pound weight that was lifted off of your chest? Well I do, because it's been sitting on mine ever since."

"Mercedes, I…"

"It's fine Sam, if you don't want kids then you don't want them. At least you're honest enough to admit that and you aren't one of those people that has a kid and then resents them for the rest of their life."

Sam buried his face in his hands and wondered briefly how his words could come and bite him in the ass so magnificently. It was amazing how a few carelessly thrown out words could so totally alter someone's future—or the creation of someone else's.

"If I hadn't said all of that stuff would you still be getting ready to take that pill?"

"Don't do this…please."

"No! I'm not going to push you into a decision but I think I deserve an answer. If I was someone else and I never said those things would you be getting ready to take that pill?"

"If you were someone else I would have already taken it." She said brokenly.

"What does that mean?"

"It means that I'm smarter than this. It means that I know better. If it were anyone else I would have already made a rational, responsible decision hours ago and been done with it. But when it comes to you… well, needless to say rational flew out the window a long time ago." She shrugged helplessly.

"So what do you want? Without factoring me into the equation, what do you want?"

"I don't want to play this game with you," Mercedes said with a stubborn set to her jaw, "it's pointless and I can't afford to go there right now."

"Why not?"

"Because this isn't a question about whether or not I want frozen yogurt or ice cream this is about a child! A human being! Playing the 'what do you want' game is selfish and stupid, and I refuse to do it."

"Why?"

"BECAUSE what I want and what's best for a baby is not the same thing."

"Why?" He persisted.

"Ugh!" She screamed out in frustration, "Because I want you."

"And you think I wouldn't be good for a baby?" Sam tried to keep the hurt out of his voice but hearing that Mercedes say he wouldn't be good for their child stung more than he wanted to admit.

Mercedes seemed taken aback by his question but she still answered, "Honestly? No."

Sam sucked in a deep breath at her words, "Wow…I didn't realize you had such a low opinion of me."

"Now, wait a minute that's not fair. I don't have a low opinion of you…it's just an honest one."

"How can you stand there and say that you don't have a low opinion of someone that you don't think would be good for a child?"

"YOU DON'T WANT ONE!" She screamed. "I would say the same exact thing about a person that hates dogs but still has one anyway."

"A dog and a person aren't the same thing."

"Obviously Sam," Mercedes snapped, "it's a hell of a huge difference between an unwanted puppy and an unwanted child."

"So, you've got me all figured out, huh?"

"Well, it's not like you've given me any reason to think differently." She sighed, "Look, I don't want to fight with you, okay? It just is what it is."

"No, it's not. You say you want me, but for how long? If you really think that I'm so horrible with kids are you going to stay with someone like that for the rest of your life?"

"I never said you were horrible with kids—"

"Answer the question! You say you want me but for how long?"

"Sam, do we really have to do this right now?"

"Why won't you just answer the damn question?"

"Because I don't know!"

"Then what the hell are we doing?" Sam looked at her accusingly. "If you want something for your future that you apparently think I'll never be on board for then why are you wasting your time on me? I know the sex is good but is it really worth sticking around in a dead end relationship for?"

"What relationship?" Mercedes finally snapped. "What relationship do we have? Sure we had a good talk last night but let's not forget that up until a few days ago you weren't even speaking to me. We haven't been on a date, and the only people that know about us 'being together' found out on accident. We're not a couple. We're just two people who for some fucked reason can't stay away from each other."

"So what you're saying is that this thing between us is good for nothing more than a good fuck."

"Don't be crude Sam."

"I'm not being crude, I'm being honest. Isn't that what we're doing here? You can't stay away from me and I sure as hell can't stay away from you but aside from a few good rolls in the hay you think we have no other use for each other."

"Am I wrong?"

"About what you want? I can't say, but you are wrong about what I want."

"And what is that exactly?"

"I want a chance. Just a chance."

"A chance to do what?" She asked dubiously.

"A chance to show you that I want more. I know that I've been a complete ass ever since the moment you laid eyes on me but there's more to me than that."

"I know that Sam, I don't think—"

"Let me finish," he asked gently, "I wish I had met you years ago, I wish you could have known me before Quinn."

Mercedes eyes narrowed a little at the mention of Quinn's name but to her credit she didn't say anything.

"Back then the idea of a marriage and babies made me happy. I couldn't wait to have the house in the suburbs with the huge backyard for my kids to play in. I wanted it and I couldn't wait for it to happen but then after finding out what Quinn did it just killed that dream in one fell swoop."

"What Quinn did was so fucked up, but not all women are like her."

"I know, but I was young and stupid and my pride was hurt. Instead of dealing with why I felt so hurt I focused all of my energy on hating Quinn for what she had done. I was mad at her for humiliating me at the altar but it took me years to figure out that's wasn't really why I was bitter. She ruined the idea of marriage and babies for me. She strolled in on our wedding day knocked up with some other man's kid and humiliated me in front of my friends and family. And ever since then I've associated marriage and children with that feeling and that feeling wasn't anything I wanted in my life ever again."

"Sam, I'm so sorry."

"It's fine. It's in the past, where it should be, and I don't want it ruling my life any longer."

"So, what are you saying?" Mercedes asked softly.

Sam tugged on her hands and led her to the couch and sat down. He took a deep breath and prayed that the words came out right, "I'm saying that I want more with you. That for whatever fucked up reason we have something and I think it can be something great. I just…I don't want to miss out on something amazing because I'm hung up on something hurtful my ex did in the past. I don't know what the future will bring for us but I want you to know that I'm open to the idea of marriage and babies…one day."

Sam reached forward and wiped at the tears that were falling down Mercedes face, "please don't cry, I didn't mean to upset you."

"You didn't," she choked out, "I just didn't expect that."

"Sorry," he murmured sheepishly.

"Don't be, I'm glad you said it."

"Well, what about you?"

"What about me?

"What do you feel?"

"Terrified."

"Why?" Sam asked slightly scared to hear her answer.

"Before I was only a little scared that I would lose my heart to you but now I know I have and it scares the shit out of me. I didn't want to fall in love with you, I told myself over and over what a bad idea it was and yet here I am."

"You're in love with me?" Sam asked as he tried to keep the huge smile off of his face. This wasn't the first time someone had told him that they loved him but it was the first time he had felt the need to break out into a dance when he heard it.

"Yes, but I'm not happy about, you're not a part of my plan." She said teasingly.

"Your plan?"

"Yes, I have a 5-year plan and you are not a part of it."

"Well, I guess it's on to plan B then…"

"Clever, Sam…really clever." Mercedes gave a dry laugh but her smile didn't reach her eyes as she stared at the pill in her hand.

"What do you think I should do?"

"It's your choice."

"I know that but I still want your opinion."

"I didn't really want you to earlier but now I think you should take it, and I think you feel the same way."

She gave a slight nod as her eyes filled up with tears again.

"I'm being so stupid about this!" She said loudly as she swiped at her tears. "It's just a stupid pill."

"It's more than that and you know it. Just accept it for what it is and stop trying to downplay it. There's a chance that if you don't take the pill that you could become pregnant but if you do then you can prevent it."

"Yeah, and if I take this and it does prevent a pregnancy then it means that I actively did something to stop our baby from existing."

"You can't look at it that way."

"Why not, it's the truth?"

"Every time I put on a condom I'm actively preventing a pregnancy just like you do when you take your pills every day."

"I know but this just feels different. This feels like I'm ending something instead of just preventing it."

"Babe, you don't have to take it, but I think you'll regret if you don't."

"I just…I keep seeing this little face in my head and…" Sam pulled Mercedes into his arms and let her cry into his chest.

"Shhhh...I'm right here," he murmured softly into her hair as she cried.

Finally after the last of her tears were dried she leaned away from and reached for the bottle of water that she had laid on the coffee table earlier.

"I don't want to take this," she said huskily, "but I know I have to. No matter what we feel about each other right now, neither one of us is ready for a baby and we won't be for a long time. If it's meant for us to be together and to have kids then we will…one day."

He nodded in agreement and watched with sad eyes as she placed the pill in her mouth and took a quick swig of water. He knew she was making the right decision but that didn't make it hurt any less. Once Mercedes got the pill past her tear swollen throat she leaned back against him.

Sam didn't know what the future would bring for them but he did know what he felt in that moment and even though the words felt foreign in his mouth he needed to say them and he knew that she needed to hear them.

"Mercedes, I love you."


	19. Shattered

"You want some of my noodles?"

Mercedes glanced up from her white take-out box and looked up to see a pair of chopsticks with noodles entangled in them at the end of her nose. She gave Sam a small smile before opening her mouth and allowing him to feed her.

"Mmmmm, those are really good." She chewed the noodles appreciatively and leaned back on the arm of the couch. Sam shot her a grin before balancing his box on top of her legs that were currently laid across his lap. He rubbed his hand from her knee to her ankle and he repeated the motion several more times.

"I must say, I'm a fan of this particular brand of pantyhose." Sam said with a smirk.

Mercedes giggled before leaning forward and nipping softly at Sam lips before whispering, "I know, that's why I bought them." She gave him a slow wink before leaning back against the arm again but she didn't get to stay there long before Sam looped his arm around her waist and jerked over to straddle his lap. He grabbed the box out of her hands and placed it on the side table next to the couch where his own take-out box was sitting. He ran his hands over her stocking covered thighs before moving them up her hips and towards the tie that was keeping her wrap dress together. He tugged on the material until it unwound and the sides of her dress fell open. Sam's eyes ran hungrily over the fire-engine red panty and bra set that he begged Mercedes to wear that morning. He leaned forward and ran his nose down her cleavage before moving over to her right breast tugging at her nipple through the red lacy material.

"Sam..." Mercedes hissed out as she wove her fingers through the dark blonde hair at the nape of his neck, "we can't do this here."

Here was Sam's office and the two of them were currently on their lunch break.

"Why not, we've done it here more times than I can count." He murmured against her chest.

"Yeah, and we've almost gotten caught more times that I can count too." Mercedes tried to be firm but it was so hard to do when Sam kept running his big, plump, moist lips all over her neck and breasts. They had been officially dating for five weeks now and they were definitely still in their 'honeymoon' phase. Sex in the office, while completely unprofessional, had become an almost every day thing for them and while the idea of getting caught was thrilling Mercedes quickly found that almost having it happen was mortifying.

"You know you don't want me to stop," Sam growled against her skin.

"That's not the point," she breathed out, "Do you really want to scar Mrs. Halbright for life?"

"She'd probably enjoy the show..."Sam said as he licked Mercedes neck. She groaned out plaintively and tried desperately to remember why they needed to stop.

"Sam..."

"Shhhh, nobody is going to catch us, I promise." With those words Sam took his right hand off of her hip and reached up and flicked open the front clasp on her bra. Her breasts spilled out into his hands and his eye widened in delight. Mercedes moaned loudly at the feel of Sam's tongue circling her nipple. She threw her head back and was ready to throw caution to the wind but then she heard the unmistakable chime from the elevator.

"Shit!" She yelled out startling Sam and causing him to jerk away.

"Did I hurt you?" He asked in a confused voice.

"No!" Mercedes hissed at him, "Didn't you hear the elevator?" She scrambled off his lap and frantically started trying to put her clothes back in order.

"Fuck! Are you sure? I told Mrs. Halbright not to disturb us during our lunch brea-"

Sam's words were cut off by the sound of the phone and he grimaced as quickly tried to adjust himself before getting up and grabbing the phone off the hook.

"Yes?" He barked curtly, "Mrs. Halbright? I thought I told you...it's Stevie?"

Mercedes watched as Sam's features darkened at the mention of his brother's name. He ran his hands over his face and gave Mrs. Halbright a curt thank you and goodbye before hanging up the phone. Sam turned back towards Mercedes and gave her a regretful look.

"It's Stevie," he repeated unnecessarily.

Mercedes nodded jerkily before smoothing her hand down her dress one last time as she prayed she looked presentable. A second later she heard the elevator ding again as it signaled the arrival of Stevie. Before long there were two sharp raps at the door before he opened the door and let himself in. The thunderous look on his face turned to one of surprise when he found Mercedes standing in the room.

"Hello, Mercedes, how are you today?"

"I'm…I'm good," Mercedes stammered out, "how are you?"

"Pretty good, I hope I wasn't interrupting anything?" His tone was deceptively light but Mercedes could still swear that he knew exactly what was going on.

"No, we had a lunch meeting but it's finished now." Sam barked out curtly.

"Hmm, I bet you did." Stevie retorted back confirming Mercedes' worst nightmare. Her face was on fire and she thanked her lucky stars that her dark complexion hid the heat that was blooming on her cheeks. She shot a worried glance in Sam direction but he was too busy glaring at his brother to notice her distress.

"What are you doing here Stevie?"

"You've been blowing up my phone for weeks now, what do you think I'm doing here? I came to find out what you wanted since you could never be bothered to leave any messages."

"You are the Co-CEO of this business Stevie, I shouldn't have to leave you any messages. I shouldn't have to track your ass down every time you up and decide to take off for weeks at a time. You're not a little kid anymore, when are you going to pull your head out of your ass and own up to your responsibilities?"

"Probably around the same time you get off my fucking back!" Stevie yelled in response.

Mercedes blanched at Stevie's tone and tried to think of a way to extract herself from the situation without drawing any attention to herself. Ever since that night at the restaurant Stevie had been a very sore subject for Sam and it was clear that their issues were nowhere near resolved.

"We are not talking about that right now," Sam said mysteriously, piquing Mercedes interest, "this is purely about business."

"Why don't you handle it yourself, Superman?"

"Don't fucking tempt me," Sam growled, "if it weren't for Dad's will you would have been out on your worthless ass a long time ago."

"Ah, we've come back to this yet again, I see." Stevie laughed darkly, "The Golden Child never misses an opportunity to let me know what a disappointing, worthless, piece of shit Dad would think I'd turned into."

"If the shoe fits…"

"Sam," Mercedes gasped out in disappointment, she knew he was angry at his brother but she still felt as if that was a low and unnecessary blow.

"It's fine Mercedes…really its fine." Stevie shot her a smile that didn't meet his eyes, "Sam's way of building himself is to break me down. It's always been that way, hasn't it bro?"

"Don't start trying to change history Stevie, you know why I feel the way I do."

"Yep, and you're never going to let me forget it, are you?" Stevie asked almost sadly, "A day can't go by that you don't remind the fuck-up that he's a fuck-up, right?"

Sam stared hard at his brother but he never responded and finally Stevie sighed and asked, "So what is it that you want me to do?"

"We have several ad campaigns that we want to go forward with but I wanted your opinion on them first. You assistant has all the information and all you have to do is review and let me know. Can you do that?"

"I think I can handle it," Stevie snapped sarcastically, "Is there anything else, sir?"

Sam narrowed his eyes, "Yes, but we will get into that later." He shot another sketchy gaze in Mercedes direction that had her spidey senses tingling. It was clear that he was hiding something but she couldn't imagine what it was. She tried to push it out of her mind because it was their business and not hers. Even though she didn't like the idea of Sam hiding things from her she didn't feel as if it were her place to demand that he come clean about something that was between him and his brother.

"I already told you what I felt about that situation," Stevie practically growled, "nothing you can say is going to change my mind, so drop it. It's none of your fucking business anyway."

"Get out, I'm done with this today," Sam muttered, clearly over the conversation, "but we will be talking later."

"Whatever." Stevie shot one last dirty look in Sam's direction before sending a quick head nod in Mercedes' direction as he went out the door.

There was almost an entire minute of silence after the door shut behind Stevie before Mercedes got up the nerve to say something.

"Are you okay?" She asked timidly.

"Yes...no...fuck, I don't know." Sam sat back down on the couch and ran his hands through his hair. "I don't know how to talk to him anymore, all we do is fight. He's just so fucking frustrating! He's a grown ass man who's supposed to be helping to run a major corporation and all he can think about is the next piece of ass he can get. He has no respect for me or our father or the legacy he tried to build for us. I'm tired of carrying him, he's nothing but dead weight."

"Sam, I know you're angry but do you really feel that way? I mean he might be a little immature but he's still your brother."

"A little immature?" Sam gave a harsh laugh, "Calling him immature is too kind. He's selfish, destructive, and he doesn't give a shit about anyone but himself. A little immaturity I could deal with but this person that Stevie has turned into, I don't know who he is and I don't want to have anything to do with him."

Mercedes sat next to Sam on the couch and pulled his hands out of his hair and cupped them in her own. After playing with his fingers for a few seconds she lifted his hands to her lips and placed a small kiss on them.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, "I wish things were better between the two of you."

"Yeah...me too."

Later that evening Mercedes lounged on a love seat at Sam's penthouse as she stared down at her iPad and scrolled through various listings on a realtor site. She was so immersed in her research that she didn't notice Sam had sat behind her on the head of the loveseat until he started speaking.

"What are you looking at?"

"Oh shit! You scared the hell out of me!" Mercedes shot at glare at Sam and he just gave her an innocent look back. "How in the hell did I scare you? I've been behind you for like five minutes now."

"Oh...sorry." She said sheepishly, "I wasn't paying any attention."

"Clearly." He responded sarcastically, "so, you didn't answer my question, what are you looking at?"

"Apartment listings, the lease is up on my apartment soon. I was just going to renew it but since I'm making a lot more money than I was before I figured I might upgrade."

"Hmmm..." Sam muttered, noncommittally, "So what have you found so far?"

Mercedes lifted up the tablet so that he could see it and she pointed out her favorite ones and then looked at him expectedly to get his opinion.

"Well?"

"Honestly? I think they all suck and you can do so much better."

"What?" Mercedes asked loudly. She knew none of them were penthouses but they were far from 'sucking' as Sam so eloquently put it. "What's wrong with all these places?"

"Well, for one they're all clear across town."

"So?"

"So, you should think about the commute to work and how much gas you will be wasting on a daily basis."

"Sam—"

"Also, the area you picked is not the greatest. As a matter of fact I'm pretty sure the crime rate in that area is extremely high."

"No, it's not—"

"Plus," he interrupted again, "I don't like any of them."

"So?" Mercedes asked angrily, "you won't be living there so why do you have to like it?"

"Oh really?" Sam asked coldly, "well that's good to know." He pushed the iPad back in Mercedes' hands before hauling himself out of the loveseat and stalking towards the kitchen.

Mercedes looked around in confusion before tossing the iPad on an ottoman and rushing behind Sam.

"What the hell is your problem?" she asked the second she made her way into his massive kitchen. Sam was busy pouring some scotch into a small glass so all he did was shoot her an annoyed glance.

"Sam? I know you hear me talking to you."

"You made your feelings on the matter perfectly clear so there is no need to continue discussing it." He tossed back the scotch as Mercedes fumed. They were not in the boardroom and she was not one of his clients so she would be damned before she let him dismiss her with business talk.

"Why are you acting like this? Are you mad that I'm apartment hunting?"

"How long?"

"How long what?"

"How long have you been looking for apartments?"

"For a few weeks now, why?"

"Since we've been together?"

"A little bit longer...why?" She pressed.

"So you've been looking for places for as long as we've been together and you never felt the need to mention it to me?"

"Why would I? I wasn't aware that I needed your permission to move."

Mercedes didn't want to fight with Sam but she could literally feel her blood pressure rising. He had no right to get an attitude about her not telling him about the moving thing. It wasn't a big deal or some massive secret so she wasn't going to allow him to make her feel bad.

"You don't but I would think that after professing your love for me that finding a new place to live would be something that you'd want to share with me. If I were looking for another place I would ask your opinion."

"So that's why you're mad? Because I didn't get your advice a little sooner?" Mercedes asked in disbelief. "Well if that's the case then I'm sorry, I didn't realize that something like that meant so much to you."

"God, you don't get it, do you?"

"What, Sam?" Mercedes screamed out in frustration, "I don't want to fight but I don't read minds either so if you don't tell me what's bothering you then we're just going to go around in circles all night."

"It stupid..."he hesitated, "I just...I just assumed that whenever you moved, it would be somewhere with me."

Mercedes blinked as she felt all the air whoosh out of her lungs. Out of all the things she expected to hear something like that never crossed her mind.

"You want us to live together?"

"Yeah...I mean, I don't know...hell, aren't we practically doing it now anyway?"

Sam was right ever since that fateful day five weeks ago the two of them had been inseparable. They spent all day at work together before deciding which one of their places they were going to spend the night at. They ate, slept, worked and played together and for the most part it had been effortless, but Mercedes imagined a lot of that had to do with the fact that they didn't put any labels on it. Yes, they chose to spend every moment with each other but at the end of the day they still had an out if they needed one. If things went south he could go to his place and she could got to hers and they could get some much needed space. But if they lived together they wouldn't have that option and they would more or less be stuck. That might be fine for down the line but at the moment their relationship was still new and it still had a fragile quality to it that still made it seem as if it could be shattered at any moment. Mercedes loved Sam, she really did, but she wasn't ready to risk shattering their new relationship by rushing into something that they weren't ready for.

"Sam, I don't think that's a good idea."

"Why not?" He asked stubbornly.

"We've been dating for a little over a month and we've only known each for a few weeks longer than that, so moving in together would be ridiculous."

"So, you're saying that living with me would be ridiculous?" Sam asked in a low voice.

"No, that's not what I'm saying, quit twisting my words around." She said in an exasperated voice, "If this thing we have works out then the moving in option will still be there down the line."

"If this thing we have does work out?" Mercedes tried not to flinch at his angrily emphasized words, "you don't seem too confident in the prospect of our thing working out."

She sighed, "That's not what I meant Sam and you know it. I just don't want to rush into something that we can't easily get out of. What we have is good—real good, why would we rock the boat if we don't have to?"

"Why shy away from something great if we don't have to? He countered, "Look I know it's fast but I know how I feel about you. I know that I love being around you and I know that I miss you when you're away."

Mercedes felt herself start to soften but she fought against it because she didn't want to let pretty words lead her into a bad decision.

"I love being with you too, but there's a difference between staying over and living with someone. We do the whole sleepover thing well but I don't know how the whole cohabitation thing would work out for us."

"We've been 'cohabitating' for weeks, now and you know it."

"No, we haven't. You have closet space and toothbrush over at my place and I have the same at yours—that's it. At the end of the day this is still your place and other than that purple toothbrush in the bathroom and a few shirts in the closet there is nothing here that belongs to me."

"So, why don't we change that?"

"Because we're not ready! We have something good, why are trying to ruin it?"

"Why do you think it would be ruined?"

"Ugh!" Mercedes gave into her frustration and screamed. If Sam kept on playing 20 questions with her then she knew she would be pulling her hair out soon. "Have you ever lived with someone other than your parents and your brother?"

"No but I-"

"So you have no idea what sharing your space with someone else actually entails do you? It's more than spending the night and 'playing house'."

"I know that Mercedes," he retorted angrily, "despite what you apparently think I'm not a fucking idiot."

"I never said..." she sighed heavily, this was getting completely out of hand, "I just don't think you've thought this through."

"Haven't thought this through?" He laughed harshly, "You really don't get it, do you? All I do is think about you. All I do is think about our future together. I'm not the type of person to make hasty decisions, I can't afford to be. Everything I do, every decision I make is well thought out and I weigh all the pros and cons. I love you and I want to share my life with you and I can't imagine living without you. It's as simple as that for me."

Mercedes stared at Sam with her mouth agape. She had no idea what to say to any of that. She had thought about their future as well but it had always been some far away, distant thing that would happen one day. One of the main reasons she never allowed herself to think about their future was because she was sure he wasn't interested. She knew he said he loved her but she always felt as if it were something he said because he felt pressure since she said it first. She loved hearing it but truth be told she never allowed herself to believe that he actually meant it. She told herself that she was just protecting her heart because eventually when he decided that he didn't really love her and he broke things off it wouldn't hurt so bad. But now she didn't know what the hell to think. Looking at Sam's earnest, shining green eyes it was impossible to doubt the honesty behind his words.

"Say something Mercedes, you're freaking me out," Sam said nervously.

"I...I don't know...I don't know...are you sure?"

"That I love you?" Sam smiled softly, "yeah, I'm sure. I didn't mean to scare you but I really wanted you to know." As Sam was talking he made his way around the counter to where she was standing and gathered her in his arms.

"I'm sorry I freaked you out, but I'm not sorry for letting you know how I feel." He whispered against her hair, "I know it's fast but...I'm sure."

Mercedes blinked back the tears that had suddenly popped into her eyes and she buried her face in his chest.

"Are you crying?"

"No..." she sniffled quietly.

He laughed and kissed her gently on the head. He put his hand underneath her chin and raised her face up towards his.

"I love you Mercedes," he said simply, "but if you still need your space, then I understand."

"I love you too Sam, but we can't move in with each other right now." Mercedes tried to ignore the way her heart clenched at the crestfallen expression on Sam's face, "but I think we can compromise."

"How?"

"Well, I still need my space and despite what you say I think you still need yours too."

"I—"

"Let me finish, please."

Sam made a show of closing his large lips and locking them with a key that was promptly thrown away.

Mercedes gave him a smile before continuing on, "I will find an apartment in the area that offers a 6 month lease, so that we'll have a little more time to have our safety nets while we get to know each other. And if six months from now we still feel the same way then we will have this conversation again. Does that work for you?"

Sam regarded her quietly for a few seconds before a wide smile crossed his face, "yeah...that works for me."

He leaned down and gave Mercedes a loud smacking kiss before dragging her back towards the living room where she left her iPad.

"Whoa, slow down Sam! What's the rush?" Mercedes squealed as Sam practically dragged her down the hall behind him.

"You said you only had a few weeks left on your current lease, right? Well, we don't have time to waste and I know a lot of great apartments in the area that I think you'll love."

Mercedes couldn't help but laugh at his enthusiasm, "Ok fine, I'll take a look but remember some of us are on a budget. Your affordable and my affordable are two very different things."

"They didn't have to be, you know..." Sam told her as he reached the love seat and dragged her down on top of him.

"Are you giving me a raise?" She teased praying that the conversation wouldn't continue down the path it was currently on.

"You know that's not what I meant."

She sighed, "Yeah I know, but I was hoping that one earth-shattering future talk was enough for one night."

"Ok, I let it go...for now." He gave her a look that was full of promise, "but in six months we're going to be talking about all kinds of things, okay?"

"Okay." She whispered quietly.

Sam leaned towards her and gave her a small kiss, "don't look so worried baby, I promise to make it worth your while." He gave her a quick wink before reaching towards the ottoman and picking up her discarded iPad.

"So, you looking for a one bedroom or a two?"

A few hours later bedrooms, apartments, and dubious happily-ever-afters were the last thing on Mercedes mind as she vomited violently into Sam's very expensive toilet.

"Ok, that's it I'm taking you to the emergency room." Sam tried to sound firm but the nervous way he paced behind her gave away his anxiousness. "You've been throwing up for the better part of an hour Mercedes, this can't be good for you."

"I'm fine," she croaked out.

After apartment hunting for a few hours they ate a quick dinner they threw together before sharing a shower and heading to bed. All seemed fine until around 4 a.m. when a cramping in her stomach woke Mercedes up. She tried to ignore it but the sudden uncontrollable need to vomit had her leaping out of bed. Luckily for her the bathroom was on her side so she had a straight shot to a toilet, and she made it with no time to spare. She tried to be a quiet as possible but vanity soon took a back seat the longer she threw up. It didn't take long for Sam to hear her and come rushing in and even though she tried to feebly push him back he just batted her hands away and kneeled down on the floor beside her. For the next hour he rubbed her back while alternating between begging her to go to the doctor and cursing the Chinese restaurant that he was sure was the culprit.

"I swear I'm going to sue the shit out of that place," Sam practically growled.

"It's not the food, you ate the same thing I did remember?" Mercedes groaned out, "I think I just have the stomach flu or something, I've been feeling weird the last few days."

"Why didn't you say something?"

"Because it wasn't a big deal, and it still isn't. I just want to go back to bed okay?"

"Fine, but you're not going in to work today." He said as he helped her stand up. Mercedes wanted to argue but she barely had the strength to open her mouth and plus she knew he was right. If she did have the stomach flu going to work and spreading her germs and getting everyone in the office sick would just be wrong.

"Okay..." She finally managed to croak out as he helped her crawl into bed. He covered her with the duvet before leaving the room. He returned a few minutes later with a bottle of water and a cold, wet, towel for her to put on her forehead. He made her sit up and take a few sips of the water and once she was done and situated back under the covers he covered her forehead with the cool cloth.

"Are you sure you don't want to go to the hospital?"

"I'm sure."

"Are you sure I can't sue that restaurant?" Mercedes smiled at Sam's question, she knew he said it in a joking manner but if she gave him the okay he would sue that restaurant in a heartbeat.

"I'm fine, but thank you."

"You're welcome baby, now get some rest."

He kissed her gently on the cheek before going over to his side of the bed and climbing under the covers. Within a few minutes his breathing evened out and Mercedes knew that he was asleep. As she lay beside him and listened to his even breaths she finally let the thought that had been ringing in the back of her mind get her full attention. She knew she didn't have food poisoning and she was almost positive that she didn't have the flu, so that left one more alternative. However, it was an alternative that she had pushed out of her mind completely five weeks ago and she wasn't trying to go through that emotional rollercoaster all over again. As sleep overtook her Mercedes once again pushed the idea out of her head as she tried to convince herself that she was just being paranoid and there was no need to freak out until she was sure.

A week later she was sure. After a missed period, seven consecutive days of queasy mornings and feeling more and more fatigued as the days went by, Mercedes was almost a 100% sure she was pregnant. She didn't know whether to be happy or to be scared or to be pissed off that Plan B ended up being a complete waste of money. Her emotions were all over the place but one thing was for sure, she couldn't wait to tell Sam, but unfortunately, it was going to have to wait. Sam left early that morning for a two-day trip in LA to meet with a potential client. Stevie was supposed to have done it, but like always he was nowhere to be found. Sam wanted her to go with him but she declined, one because she didn't know how her stomach would handle the flight, and two, because she needed to finish packing. Her apartment was currently littered with boxes and she was almost completely finished packing up all of her belongings. Now with the almost certain pregnancy Mercedes wondered if she should change her plans. Her lease for her current apartment would be up in a little over a week's time but she planned on moving into her new apartment on the upcoming Saturday which was just a few days away. She knew she had made a huge fuss about them not moving together but now with a baby more than likely on the way did she really feel like doing the whole moving thing when she was 7 months pregnant? She hadn't signed the lease on the new place so she wasn't bound by any contract yet. She already knew Sam's stance on them living together but she wondered how he would feel when he found out that not only would he have to make room for her but he'd have to make room for a baby as well?

Mercedes shook off the doubts that were already creeping in and instead chose to focus on finding out for sure whether or not she was pregnant. She had bought a pregnancy test at the local pharmacy before coming to work that day and it was currently burning a hole in her purse. From where her bag was stashed under her desk she could see the little purple box peeking out from it and it took everything in her not to snatch it out of her purse and run to the bathroom and take it. She was in the process of reaching for it when she heard the elevator give a sharp ding before swinging open and revealing Mrs. Halbright. The sweet older lady had an uncharacteristic frown on her face as she made her way in the office clutching an envelope in her hand.

"Hello, Mrs. Halbright. Is everything okay?"

"Yes, Ms. Jones...uh, I was just wondering if I could put this on Mr. Evans' desk?"

"Uh, sure. Is there something wrong, you seem upset?" Mercedes asked worriedly.

"No, not upset just confused. This envelope was left for Mr. Evans' but it was taken to Stevie's office instead."

"Oh, okay." Mercedes didn't see why that warranted Mrs. Halbright's pinched expression but she guessed the woman just didn't like correspondence going where it didn't belong.

"So I'm just going to leave that on his desk, and he'll get to it when he returns."

"That's fine." Mercedes shot a worried look at Mrs. Halbright's back as she scurried into Sam's office. She made a mental note to ask Sam about letting Mrs. Halbright have some extra paid time off because it was clear that she needed it.

Once Mrs. Halbright dropped off the envelope she made sure to close the door securely behind her before giving Mercedes a timid wave and heading into the elevator. Once the frazzled lady was gone Mercedes turned her attention back to the purple box that was practically screaming her name. She reached into her purse and pulled out the box just as the phone start to ring shrilly beside her. She let out a large groan before dropping the box back into her purse and picking up the receiver.

"Hello, this is Mercedes Jones speaking, how many I help you?"

"Mercedes? Hi, this is Audrey."

Mercedes fought the urge to roll her eyes, Audrey was Stevie's new assistant and from the few encounters Mercedes had with her she was convinced that the girl was incompetent.

"What can I do for you?"

"Did Mrs. Halbright bring something by?"

"Yes, she just now dropped it off. Is there a problem?"

"No, but I'm not sure what the hell is going on. Some blonde chick named Quinn dropped the envelope off and said it was for Mr. Evans. She didn't specify which one so I assumed she meant my Mr. Evans but I wanted to check with Mrs. Halbright to be sure. I told her what had happened but instead of telling me what to do she just hung up on me and came storming up to the office. She practically ripped the envelope out of my hands and said that she would handle it from now on. I just wanted to make sure that the letter or whatever it is made it to Mr. Evans because I'm not trying to get fired over some shit that isn't my fault, ya know?"

"Yeah," Mercedes murmured as her mind went a million miles a minute, "What did you say the woman's name was that dropped off the letter?"

"Quinn. She was some rich looking blonde with a little baby bump. Do you know her?"

The baby bump was new, but at this point Mercedes would know Quinn Fabray anywhere.

"Yeah...yeah, I know her." Mercedes choked out.

"Oh good, then I guess that letter was meant for your Mr. Evans. I'll just call mine back and tell him it was a false alarm, he seemed a little freaked when I told him what happened."

Mercedes gave a few mmm-hmmm's as Audrey droned on but before long she couldn't take it anymore and she cut the rambling girl off.

"You did the right thing Audrey, your job is safe. Now, if you'll excuse me I have to get back to work."

"Oh, yeah right, me too. Maybe we should get together for lunc—"

"Bye Audrey," Mercedes said curtly before she hung up the phone. The second the receiver settled into the cradle Mercedes was out of her chair and heading towards Sam's desk. She knew it wasn't right to snoop through his personal things but she didn't really care at that moment. The second Audrey mentioned Quinn's name a ball of dread formed in Mercedes' stomach and it had been growing rapidly ever since, and now it felt like it was lodged in her throat and it was choking her. As she walked into Sam's office she instantly saw the stark white envelope that was propped up against his telephone. She quickly made her way across the office but once she was right in front of the envelope she was afraid to pick it up. That ball of dread had now become a pulsating mass inside her body that felt as if it were touching each and every one of her vital organs and just waiting to explode and kill every last one of them. She chided herself for being so ridiculous but somehow she knew that whatever was in the envelope was going to change her life. Call it instinct, call it paranoia, call it whatever you'd like but Mercedes just knew.

She picked up the envelope and flipped it over and saw Quinn's impossibly pretty handwriting scrawled over the front:

It's a boy, I know that you haven't exactly been excited about the life that we created together but I was hoping that this would change your mind just a little bit. I know that things have been weird between us for years and that's my fault and I take full responsibility for it, but our baby shouldn't have to suffer because of my mistakes. I love you and I think somewhere inside you love me too. Please, just please give us a chance. Give our baby the chance to have a normal life with two parents that love him. Please.

P.S. I've thought of the perfect name, Sean Elijah Evans. I figured he should have the same initials as his Daddy.

Mercedes turned the envelope over with trembling hands and opened the flap. Inside was a sonogram photo. Mercedes vision blurred as she stared down at the photo that was still partially covered by the envelope. For some reason she couldn't bring herself to completely pull out the picture of Sam and Quinn's perfect little baby boy.

She folded the flap back down and threw the envelope back on the desk. She had to get out of that room and she had to get out now because it felt as if she couldn't breathe. She spun on her heel and let out of shout of surprise when she looked up to find Stevie standing in the doorway.

"Do you make it a habit of going through my brother's things?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

Mercedes bit back the harsh retort that immediately sprung to her mind and instead tried to walk past Stevie, she knew that she was disrespecting one of her bosses but in that moment she really didn't give a shit.

"Could you please let me pass?" She asked through gritted teeth once it became apparent that Stevie had no intention of moving.

"What were you looking at?" He asked, ignoring her plea.

"Nothing," she said evasively, refusing to meet his eyes.

"Hmm, I never took you for a liar Mercedes, that's more my brother's cup of tea."

Mercedes gave Stevie a suspicious look but she still refused to answer him. After what seemed like an eternity Stevie clearly got tired of the game and he pushed past her and headed for Sam's desk. Thankful for a clear way out Mercedes moved to leave the room but she was stopped short by Stevie's words.

"I was hoping you wouldn't find out about this."

Mercedes turned to face Stevie and found him staring down at the sonogram photo with a weird expression on his face.

"You're a nice lady Mercedes and you deserve better than my brother," Stevie continued on, "He's been playing you from day one and you fell for it hook, line, and sinker."

"No..." Mercedes said shaking her head back and forth, Sam may have lied to her about Quinn but she refused to believe that he lied about everything.

"You were something new and interesting, Mercedes. You were like some exotic animal in a sea of boring house cats. You were a challenge, and my brother likes nothing more than conquering a new challenge..."

"No..." Mercedes whispered again as she tried to fight the urge to cover her ears. Every word that came out of Stevie's mouth was like someone punching her repeatedly in her heart. All the old insecurities that she thought were buried came flying out of her heart and mind like bats flying out of a cave.

"He was always going to end up Quinn, even after everything she did my brother still loves her. Did you honestly think you could compare to her?"

"Why are you doing this?" Mercedes knew Stevie had his issues but she never thought he was cruel.

"Because you need to know Mercedes, you're too blinded by my brother's false words and promises to see that he's using you. He doesn't want you, you're not special. You're just another in a long line of assistants that have come and gone. Haven't you heard the stories of all the girls before you? The only one to ever resist him was Emma and that was just because she was like an older sister to us and he was never interested in pursuing her. He needed another notch on his belt before he took the plunge with Quinn and you fit the bill. He had to go out with a bang and he did. Congrats, Mercedes you should feel flattered to be his last piece of ass before he—"

Stevie's words were cut short by the stinging slap across his face.

"Fuck you...and fuck your lying brother too." Mercedes swiped at the traitorous tears spilling down her face and she spun on her heel and stalked back to her desk. She pulled up a new document on her computer and quickly typed out a resignation letter. It wasn't eloquent and it didn't list any of the real reasons she was quitting this job, but it was good enough to get her point across. Logically, she knew she was probably jumping the gun but it was hard for logic to have much room in her mind when all she could hear was Stevie's cruel words swirling around in her head. What reason did he have to lie? She had been warned more than once about how Sam would hurt her eventually but she ignored it all because she had convinced herself that he was a changed man. She honestly believed that he loved her and he wanted to have a life with her. She got caught up in some bullshit fairytale and now she was getting a crash landing back into reality.

After a quick proofread Mercedes printed the document and once it shot out of the printer she grabbed her purse off the ground and went back into Sam's office and slapped her letter of resignation down on his desk. Stevie was still in the room but he was staring out the window and rubbing his thumb absent-mindedly over the sonogram picture over and over again.

"Forgive me Mercedes," Stevie said quietly, "that wasn't about you."

"Go to hell."

"What should I tell my brother?"

"Tell him..."Mercedes blinked back tears, "tell him I'm done."

With those biting words Mercedes left the office and headed towards the elevator. She ignored the pounding in her heart and the overwhelming need to cry as she took the quick ride down the elevator before passing Mrs. Halbright in the downstairs lobby. The woman gave her a curious look but Mercedes refused to make eye contact and she quickened her steps towards the parking garage. Once inside her car she fumbled through her purse until she found her phone and she quickly dialed a familiar number. After a few rings the person on the other line picked up and hearing her clear, sweet voice was all it took to make Mercedes lose her tenuous hold on her emotions.

"Hello?"

"Mama?" Mercedes sobbed, "Mama, I need you..."

"Baby, what is it?" Her mother asked in a frantic tone.

"I have to come home...I have to...I can't stay here any longer."


	20. He Wasn't Sorry

He wasn't sorry.

As he replayed his harsh words over in his head two days later Stevie has a moment's regret for the pain that he caused Mercedes but he still wasn't sorry that he did it. None of this was her fault—she was nothing more than collateral damage. He saw the way she looked at his brother and he saw the way Sam looked at her back. They were in love and he hated it. Why did The Golden Boy get to have everything? He was their mother's dying wish, he was their father's favorite, and now he had the love of a good woman.

It wasn't fair.

Stevie rubbed his thumb over the picture of his unborn son and he tried to feel something but he couldn't. He didn't want him. Children were messy, needy, and they sucked the life out of you and that was not something that he wanted for his life—ever. Sleeping with Quinn was nothing more than just a fuck you to his brother and he never expected anything to actually come out of it. Now he was stuck with a child that he didn't want and a crazy, clingy baby mama to go along with it. He could have gotten rid of Quinn with no problem if his fucking brother hadn't stepped in but as always Super Sam had to come along and save the day.

Stevie sighed as he tossed the sonogram on the coffee table. He was so damn tired of this seemingly endless mess. Quinn had been calling incessantly ever since she dropped off the sonogram demanding to know what he thought. His voicemail was full of messages from her that ranged from gently cajoling to frantically shrieking and everything in between. In one message she would be going on and on about their perfect life with their perfect little blonde-haired baby boy and then in the next she would be threatening to drag him to court the first chance she got before spilling her guts to the first publication that would listen. The message was clear, she wanted her happily ever after any way she could get it and Stevie was the poor bastard that she picked to be her Prince Charming. It didn't matter that he didn't want that kid or her. Quinn was desperate to feel complete and she decided that this 'family' was the thing that was going to do it. On some level Stevie could relate, he knew what that clawing desperation felt like when it seemed that everything you tried to accomplish ended up a failure. He knew what it felt like to be a constant disappointment. He knew what it felt like to have every bad decision and mistake tossed back in your face at every opportunity. He got it, he really did but just because he could relate didn't mean that he wanted to spend the rest of his life shackled to Quinn Fabray and a kid. He had a life to live and that life didn't include changing diapers or reading nursery rhymes.

He tried to do the 'right thing', so to speak, by giving Quinn money to take care of the problem when he first found out she was pregnant. Was it an asshole move? Probably, but in his honest opinion the kid would be better off never existing than having the two of them as parents. Now, it seemed that she was too far along to have an abortion which means that no matter what happened with the baby after the fact he would have a kid out in the world somewhere. He didn't want it. That's all it boiled down to for him. Some people had a soft spot when it came to kids, especially their own, but he felt absolutely nothing. There was nothing about the idea of becoming a father that appealed to him and he hated Quinn and his brother for trying to force him into it. Quinn, he could almost understand but for the life of him he couldn't get his brother's incessant need for him to step up and take care of something he never asked for in the first place. He thought if anybody was going to be on his side when it came to something involving Quinn Fabray it would be his Sam, but no, his traitorous brother chose the side of his cheating ex-fiancé and some kid that he'd never met. Stevie didn't know why he was surprised though, Sam never had his back so he didn't know why he was stupid enough to think he would start now. Sam never spoke up for him when their father berated him about any and everything that he could. As far as their father was concerned the sun shined out of Sam's ass and one word from him would have gotten their dad off of Stevie's back but he never said a word in defense of his brother.

Their mother died of cancer when Stevie was 14 and on her death bed she begged and begged for Sam but he was off at college and didn't make it back it time. Stevie sat by her bedside praying for her pain to go away and all she could do was worry about why Sam wasn't there. He was right there by her side the whole time and she never said she loved him and she never told him good-bye. All she did was moan for Sam over and over again until she could no longer speak.

That is when Stevie started to hate his brother.

After their mother's death Stevie needed someone to be there for him but he had no one. His dad allowed his grief to swallow him and he couldn't get past his own pain to help Stevie with his and as far as Sam went, he all but shut down after their mother died. He barely talked the entire time they were preparing for her funeral and the second she was in the ground he left and never looked back. Soon after that he met Quinn and just a few months later they were engaged to be married. The resentment that was festering inside of Stevie ever since their mother's passing only grew as he watched his brother go out and fall in love with some beautiful blonde and have some great life while he was stuck back at home with a father that ignored him unless it was time to tell him what a disappointment he was. That is why Stevie so greatly enjoyed watching his brother get humiliated on his wedding day. He had overheard the conversation between Quinn and her father where Quinn spilled the beans two days before the wedding about her pregnancy but he never said a word. He could have saved Sam the humiliation but as far as he was concerned his brother could have saved him so many times before but he never did so fair was fair. Sam's wedding day was one of the best days of Stevie's life. Outwardly he played the part of concerned brother but inwardly he reveled at the sight of his brother's devastation. In his mind on that day his brother experienced a fraction of the pain and humiliation that he had lived with his whole life. Stevie thoroughly enjoyed watching his brother suffer and he would never apologize for it.

He wasn't sorry.

As the years went on his resentment for his brother grew and grew but it came to a head after their father suddenly died. Stevie never mourned his father's death but then again he didn't have to. As far as he was concerned John Evans was a bastard and he was burning in hell somewhere and he couldn't be happier about it. All he wanted was the money and assets that he knew he was being willed so that he could go on his merry way. Unfortunately for him John Evans had other ideas. He left Sam almost everything, his money, the assets, the house in the country, the apartment in the city and a controlling share of the business. The only thing Stevie got was his own measly share in the business and a promise that if he worked at Evans and Evans Advertising until he was 30 then he would get full access to the millions in his trust fund. Sam had no such stipulations to abide by. For all intents and purposes Evans and Evans is his company and Stevie was just working there because he had to in order to get his money. Even in death his old man managed to screw him over one last time.

Every time Stevie had to report to work the resentment towards his brother grew a little bit more. Every time he had to answer to Sam or listen meekly while he berated him for not taking his job seriously it took everything in Stevie not to yell out how much he hated him. He wanted to be free of the overbearing presence of his brother. He wanted to be able to walk away from Sam Evans and never have to see his disgustingly perfect face anymore. He hated his brother.

And he wasn't even sorry about it.

He hoped that Sam would be too busy cleaning up his mess with Mercedes to pay any attention to what was going between him and Quinn. Drastic times called for drastic measures and he was going to get that bitch and that bastard child out of his life one way or the other. He only had a few more years slaving away at Evans and Evans before he would be free to collect his money and he would be damned before he spent any of it on some kid that he didn't want. Quinn could either take some money and go, or she could get kicked out on her ass with nothing, it didn't matter to Stevie. He didn't want that kid now and he wasn't going to want him later.

And he wasn't sorry about it.

Stevie got up from the couch and was headed towards the kitchen to make a drink when he heard a vicious pounding on his front door. He couldn't help the small smirk that appeared on his face because he knew exactly who had come to visit. Stevie took his sweet time ambling over to the front door and he swung it open with a large smile on his face.

"Hey, what's up bro?"

Stevie had expected an angry Sam what he didn't expect was the heavy fist driving into his nose. He stumbled back in surprise and grabbed his pounding nose. He blinked rapidly at the stars popping up in his eyes before focusing in on the impressively red face of his brother.

"Dude, what the fuck?"

"What did you say?" Sam growled in a low voice, "What the fuck did you say to Mercedes?"

"I don't know what you are talking about" Stevie lied, trying to buy some time as he backed away from his brother.

"You're lying! Mrs. Halbright said you were up in the office with Mercedes before she left upset, so what the fuck did you say to here?"

Stevie swiped his hand under his nose to wipe away some the blood flowing down his face as he glared at her brother.

"I did her a fucking favor! Mercedes deserves better than you and I helped her to realize it."

"No….Mercedes knows I love her, what the fuck could you have possibly said to make her doubt me?"

"Well…" Stevie said slyly as he walked over to his coffee table and picked up the sonogram and held it up for Sam to see. "I think you can thank Quinn's dumb ass for that one. She didn't clarify which Mr. Evans she was dropping off her little package for so my idiot assistant assumed it might be you. Mrs. Halbright picked it up and placed it on your desk and your nosy little Mercedes went and took a peek. Quinn wrote a nice little note about 'our' baby boy and she was even kind enough to come up with a name matching its Daddy's initials SEE—my initials. I'm going to go out on a limb and guess Mercedes doesn't know your middle name is James does she?"

Sam gravely shook his head no.

"Ah, I'm betting you wished that had that conversation now, aren't you?" Stevie wheezed out a small laugh before swiping at the blood continuing to drip out of his nose.

"What did you do Stevie?"

"Well, since it appeared that Miss Mercedes already jumped to the conclusion that this little one was yours I just helped it along a bit. It didn't take much effort but then again I guess I have your lies to thank for that."

"Fuck you Stevie, why would you do that to her?"

"Who gives a shit about Mercedes? This wasn't about her! This was about you! You did this to her, not me. I told you to back the fuck off, I begged you to leave good enough alone but you wouldn't listen. Now you have to pay the piper. If you are so worried about the well-being of Quinn and that kid then you fucking take care of them because I'm not doing it. As far as Mercedes is concerned she'll be fine, she'll dust herself off and bounce back from this stronger than ever."

"She's gone." Sam said quietly, so quietly that Stevie almost didn't hear him.

"What?"

"She left…she was supposed to be moving to a new apartment but she never signed her new lease but she's gone from her old place."

"So?"

"So?" Sam's angry eyes snapped up to meet Stevie's nonchalant ones, "SO? SHE FUCKING LEFT TOWN! I don't know where she is, I don't know where she's going and her fucking best friend won't tell me anything."

At the end of Sam's angry response Stevie started to laugh, he couldn't help it, this was all working out better than he ever imagined.

"What the fuck are you laughing at?" Sam snapped.

"I'm laughing at you. Jesus, when did you become so fucking pathetic?"

"I'm the pathetic one? You're the spineless bastard that won't claim his child. YOU are the one who has to play puppet master with innocent people's lives because of some stupid ass grudge you have against me. You would hurt someone like Mercedes because you're too much of a fucking pussy to come at me head on."

Stevie's laughter quickly died away at Sam's harsh words and his eyes narrowed before he spat out, "I'm not afraid of you Sam."

"Yes you are. You're nothing but a little bitch and you always have been. That's why Mom couldn't be bothered with you and why Dad didn't believe in you. He knew you weren't worth shit back then and he knew you wouldn't be worth shit now."

"Take that back." Stevie growled as he felt tears prick his eyes, "take back what you said right now."

"Fuck you," Sam replied coldly, "I meant every word."

Stevie looked into the cold eyes of his brother's and he knew Sam was right, he was afraid. He underestimated his brother's feelings for Mercedes and now he was going to pay for it—dearly. That festering resentment was only getting worse but he knew that he had to fix the situation now before Sam ruined him.

"Look, I can fix this. Let me get in touch with Mercedes and I'll— "

"You're done." Sam snapped.

"What? Done with what?"

"With everything. With me, the business… everything."

"I don't understand."

"You're not my fucking brother anymore, do you understand that? You're out of the business, I'll have the papers drawn up by the end of the week."

"But my inheritanc—"

"You will get the fraction of the inheritance that you've earned from working at the business for the last few years but the rest will be put into a trust fund set up for your child."

Stevie stared at him in shock, "You can't do that!"

"Actually I can. Dad put me in charge of everything for a reason, he knew your sorry ass couldn't be trusted. You were such an important part of the business because I chose to let you be a part. I was hoping that you would have learned some responsibility and some pride for your family legacy along the way but it's clear that's a lost cause. I'm done with you Stevie, I forgiven you for a lot but I will never forgive you for making Mercedes cry."

"Fuck that bitch," Stevie replied coldly seconds before Sam's fist was flying back towards his face. The earlier blow seemed like a love tap compared to the pain that exploded through his face from the second blow. Sam sent another crushing punch straight into Stevie's gut that had him wheezing for air and he staggered back and fell against the couch.

"You're nothing to me and I never want to see you again." Sam said coldly as he hovered over Stevie's crumpled body, "And stay away from Quinn and the baby too. I won't allow you to fuck my nephew up. Goodbye, Stevie."

With those parting words Sam walked out of the apartment and Stevie knew that he was walking out of his life for good. At one time the thought of never seeing his brother again would have made him elated but now it just filled him with a gnawing emptiness. Because of some petty bitterness that he couldn't let go of he had lost everything. He had lost his past and his future in the blink of an eye. As Stevie let that sink in dry heaving sobs overtook his body as he clutched his stomach and whispered brokenly over and over again,

"I'm so sorry."

"I'm so sorry."

"I'm so sorry."


	21. What's a Few Hours?

"I love you." Mercedes murmured sleepily.

"I love you too baby, now go back to sleep. I'll see you tomorrow night, okay?"

"Mmmm-hmmm" She moaned out quietly before turning over in Sam's massive bed and falling back to sleep.

Sam smiled to himself as he recalled the memory of Mercedes all warm and cuddly in his bed earlier that morning. He hated to leave her but he knew this deal needed to get done. Thankfully the meeting went by without a hitch and Evans and Evans added yet another high profile client to their roster.

It was around one in the afternoon and he was meeting one of his good friends, Mike Chang, for a quick lunch at a popular steakhouse. Sam and Mike met in college during freshman chemistry and Sam struggled quite a bit with the complicate formulas until Mike became his lab partner. The two of them became fast friends during the course of that semester and they had been close friends ever since. After graduation Mike moved out to LA with his high school sweetheart, Tina, and they were married within a few months. A couple years later they welcomed a baby boy and now they were expecting again. Sam was glad to see Mike again because he was one of the few people that he could genuinely call a friend. After the fiasco with Quinn, Mike was one of the only people Sam felt comfortable talking to about how he felt. Mike didn't approve of the way Sam chose to deal with the fall-out of his relationship with Quinn by jumping from woman to woman but he still had his back regardless. Now, Sam couldn't wait to tell him about his relationship with Mercedes. He knew for a fact that Mike would like her and important to him that he show his friend that he still wasn't the same bitter fuck up that he had been for so many years.

As Sam sat at the table in the restaurant he pulled out his phone and thought about calling Mercedes. It would be around four where she was and she would be finishing up things so that she could leave for the day. He was in the process of pushing one for his speed dial when he heard a jovial voice behind him,

"Sam freakin' Evans! How are you man?" Sam glanced up and turned his head to see Mike walking towards him with a big smile on his face. Sam returned the smile and stood up and grabbed Mike's outstretched hand and brought him in for a quick 'bro' hug. The both slapped each other's backs loudly before settling into their seats.

"I've been damn good, man? How are you? And how's Tina and the kids?"

"Good...good, man. Tina is doing amazing and she's entering into her last trimester, and it's a girl this time. And my lil' man, Drake, is driving me up the wall, but I love him." Mike shrugged helplessly but he could barely contain the look of happiness on his face. Sam couldn't help but envy him because he wanted all of that, and he never realized how much until recently.

"So what about you Mr. CEO? Work still ruling your life or did you find a woman...or should I say women to keep you occupied?"

"Work is good, just cut a deal with yet another great client and as far as that other thing..." Sam trailed off.

"What are their names?" Mike asked, shooting Sam a disapproving look.

"Her name is Mercedes."

"That's it?" Mike asked in disbelief, "you're just with one woman?"

"Don't sound so surprised, I wasn't that bad."

"Uh yeah dude, you were. For a while there you were with a different woman every couple of weeks, so I just stopped trying to keep up."

"Yeah, well, that's in the past."

"Mmmm-hmmm..." Mike will still regarding Sam warily, "how do I know you're not just saying that so I won't be on your case?"

Sam rolled his eyes at Mike before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small baby blue box. He slid the box to the middle of the table and tried to suppress a grin as he watched Mike's eyes bug out of his head.

"What the hell is that?"

"It's an engagement ring."

"I know what it is, what the hell are you doing with it?"

"I'm going to ask Mercedes to marry me."

Mike took his eyes off the box so he could look up at Sam, "are you fucking with me right now?"

"Nope," Sam said simply, "I love her and I want to spend the rest of my life with her."

"Wait...just...hold on!" Mike practically shouted, "How long have you've known this woman? I know we haven't spoken in a while but it hasn't been that damn long."

"I've known her for a little over two months, and we've been together for about 6 weeks."

Once Sam finished Mike sat back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest before rolling his eyes.

"So you were just fucking with me then?" Mike leaned forward again and snatched the box off the table. He slid the white ribbon off before unceremoniously jerking the lid off the top. His motions slowed when he looked inside and noticed a black velvet box inside. He shot an uncertain look in Sam's direction but Sam just raised an eyebrow and inclined his head in a silent command to continue. Mike pulled the black velvet box out and slowly pulled up the lid before promptly slamming it shut.

"If this is a joke, you went above and beyond to make it look real."

"It's not a joke," Sam said as he watched Mike put the boxes back the way they originally were. "Like I said, I love her."

"Wow...just wow, man, I mean that's great but it seems kind of sudden don't you think?"

"You told me that you knew that you wanted to marry Tina the first time you saw her in high school, what is so different about me?"

"No offense Sam, but you haven't been the settling down type ever since that bullshit happened with Quinn."

Sam's face darkened briefly at the mention of Quinn but he quickly shook it off.

"Hey, I hear you, I had all but written off marriage and kids for life after what happened but there is something about Mercy...it's just different, ya know?"

Mike started to speak but the waiter and came took their orders and as soon as that was done he turned his attention back to Sam.

"So, how did the two of you meet?"

"Um...well, she kind of works for me."

"Kind of? What does that mean, is she like a client or something?"

"No, she's my personal assistant."

"Sam! You're messing around with your employee?"

"No, we're not messing around," Sam snapped, biting back his anger, "we're in a committed relationship."

"Look man, I'm sorry," Mike said apologetically, "It's just starting up something with your employee, especially one that works directly under you isn't always the best idea."

"Yeah I know, but I couldn't have stayed away from her if I wanted to." Sam said with a laugh, "she's unlike anybody I've ever met and she keeps me on my toes constantly. There is just something about her man...I feel more alive than I have in years."

"Wow..."Mike said again, shaking his head in disbelief, "this woman sounds pretty damn impressive, I think I like her already. Why isn't she here?"

"I wanted her to come but she's moving in a couple of days and she wanted to finish packing up her stuff. Believe me if I could have gotten her on that plane I would have, it's only been a few hours and I miss her...is that crazy?"

"Nah, I'm the same way about Tina and Drake, I hate being away from them, it makes me antsy. So, since I don't get to meet Mercedes in person you got a picture or something?"

Sam smiled and pulled out his iPhone and quickly went through his pictures until he found a cute one of them posing together on his couch. He handed over the phone and he watched as his friend's eyes bugged out once again and he gave out a long, low whistle.

"Um, damn, no offense dude but how in the hell did you pull that?"

Sam just laughed in response.

"No I'm serious, I mean I know you're rich and supposedly good-looking and all that, but this woman is gorgeous...what the hell is she doing with you?"

"Ha, ha..."Sam said sarcastically, "give me my phone back." He reached for his phone but Mike leaned back out of his reach and continued to stare at the picture. After another shake of his head and a low whistle Mike finally handed Sam his phone back. "Damn man, all I can say is congratulations. No wonder you're so damn ready to put a ring on it. You'd be a fool to let a woman like her get away."

"You're preaching to the choir, bro. I know I hit the jackpot with her and frankly I'm amazed every day."

"So what's the plan, you going to head back and plan some elaborate proposal or are just going to drop to one knee the second you land?"

"Sadly, neither," Sam said regretfully, "if it were up to me the proposal would be happening immediately but just a few days ago we talked about moving in together and Mercedes flipped out."

"She doesn't want to do it?"

"Not now, and even though I didn't at first I see her point now. We need some time to get to know each other a little bit better with our 'safety nets' as she called it before we make the plunge."

"Sounds like a smart woman to me."

"She is," Sam smiled, "she's moving from her current apartment to one closer to where I live but she's only signing a 6 month lease. We said that we would discuss moving in together as well as other things at that point."

"Uh-huh...so I'm assuming that's when the ring is going to come into play?"

"Yes, I know what I want and I feel as if she wants the same thing, she just needs a little bit more time to get there than I do."

"Is six months going to be enough time?"

"I don't know, but I hope it is."

Mike gave Sam a big smile before saying, "well, even though I don't know Mercedes personally she seems perfect for you. I wish you guys nothing but the absolute best."

"Thanks Mike, that means a lot." Sam breathed out a sigh of relief, his friend's approval really did mean a lot to him.

"I promise the next time I come out this way I'm bringing her with me, I think she and Tina would make really great friends."

"Sounds like a plan to me," Mike agreed, "but for right now we have more important things to focus on." His mouth started to visibly water as he spotted their waiter headed towards their table with two plates laden down with huge steaks and baked potatoes.

Two hours later Sam patted his full stomach and he got laid back on two pillows stacked against his headboard. He had just made it back to his hotel room and all he wanted to do is kick off his shoes and call his girl. Once he got comfortable on the bed he pulled out his iPhone he noticed that he had 6 missed calls. He cursed himself for forgetting that he put his phone on silent during the meeting and he tried to beat back the panic that was growing in his chest. He pulled up the call log list and found that all of the missed calls were from the office. The panic ebbed a little bit and he breathed a slight sigh of relief because he assumed that it was just Mercedes trying to get in touch with him because he hadn't called since after the meeting. He glanced at the clock by his bed and realized that Mercedes would more than likely already be out of the office so he tried calling her cell phone. After the fourth failed attempt to make a connection he concluded that something must have happened at work and that is why Mercedes was trying so hard to get in touch with him. He steeled himself to hear that some catastrophe had happened as he dialed the number to the office. After two rings the phone was picked up,

"Evans and Evans, this is Glenda Halbright speaking, how may I help you?"

"Mrs. Halbright?"

"Oh my God, Mr. Evans is that you?"

"Yes, what's going on, it's almost 6 p.m. there, why are you still at work?"

"Oh dear, did you not listen to any or my messages?"

"Those missed calls were all from you? Where is Mercedes?" That bubble of panic that Sam thought was gone started to grow.

"I'm so sorry, I've made such a mess of things," Mrs. Halbright started to whimper slightly and the little bubble of panic lodged in Sam's throat started getting bigger and bigger.

"A mess of what? What's going on, and where is Mercedes?"

"Quinn Fabray came by the office this afternoon and she dropped off a letter for a Mr. Evans to Stevie's new assistant. The girl didn't know which Mr. Evans it was for so she called and asked me about it. I know of your history with Ms. Fabray so I assumed that the letter must have been meant for you so I went and retrieved it and brought it up to your office. I was very discreet and I didn't tell Ms. Jones about where the letter came from because I know...well, I know the two of you are close and she might not appreciate you getting mail from your ex..."She trailed off.

"Continue." Sam said gravely as the panic bubble burst and produced a little panic monster that was currently clawing at his throat, "What happened next."

"I took the envelope to your office and laid it on your desk. I didn't tell Ms. Jones anything about it and she didn't seem too concerned about it so I assumed that there wouldn't be any problem. However, Stevie's assistant called Ms. Jones and she told her what had happened and I guess that prompted her to go find out what was in the envelope. I'm not sure exactly what happened in that office but I know that your brother went up there shortly after I returned to my desk and about 10 minutes later Mercedes was coming down and she looked very upset."

"Is there anything else," Sam said through gritted teeth as he tried to control his anger.

"No...no sir," she said chokingly, "I'm so sorry."

"It's fine Mrs. Halbright," he assured her even though it really wasn't, "how long has Mercedes been gone?"

"About an hour and a half, I think...maybe a little bit longer."

"Okay, thank you. I'm going to call her and get this all straightened out."

"Okay sir, again, I'm sorry."

"It's fine Mrs. Halbright, have a nice evening."

"Goodbye sir."

Sam ended the call and rubbed his hands over his face. He couldn't believe that all of this was happening right now. If he had been there he could have intercepted whatever message Quinn left him and everything would have been fine, but no, she had to sneak her ass up there the one time he was away. He knew it was past time for him to come clean with Mercedes already and just let the chips fall where they may. He was sick of trying to cover up his brother's transgressions, especially when it meant being dishonest with Mercedes. He had been protecting his brother and cleaning up his messes for so long that he didn't know any other way but it was now time to break that habit.

Sam pressed 1 on his speed dial again and listened to it ring incessantly on the other end. He tried to keep himself from getting worried but it was unlike Mercedes to not answer. Under normal circumstances it would simply be weird for her not to pick up but now it was freaking him out, especially since Mrs. Halbright said that Mercedes seemed upset when she left the office. He knew his asshole brother had probably said something to her, but what could he have possibly said that upset her to the point that she was running out of the office?

Sam tried to shake the feeling of dread that was creeping up his spine as he continued calling Mercedes' phone. After about the 15th time of alternating between her cell and house phone Sam was about to give up and call the police when the phone began jangling in his hand. He looked down at the screen and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Mercedes' smiling face staring up at him.

"Hey baby," he breathed out in relief, "you had me so damned worried, Mrs. Halbright said—"

"This isn't Mercedes," came a gruff male voice on the other line.

Sam pulled the phone away and stared at in shock for a second before putting it back to his ear and practically shouting, "who the hell is this?"

"It's me, Kurt."

"Oh," Sam said somewhat sheepishly, the gruffness of Kurt's phone voice surprised the hell out him. "Sorry, for yelling man, I'm just worried. Could you give the phone to Mercy?"

"She's busy." Came the curt reply.

"Uhhhh...okay, but could you put her on the phone for a second so I can talk to her? Mrs. Halbright said she was upset and I wanted to make sure she was okay."

"She's fine," Kurt snapped, "She's tired and she's stressed about the move and that's all she wants to focus on right now."

"Okay," Sam said in an exaggerated calm voice and he tried to keep his temper in check, "but can I just speak to her for a second? I'm not trying to talk to her all night, I know she has stuff she wants to get done."

"Fine." Kurt rudely spat out. Sam heard a muffled conversation before finally Mercedes got on the line.

"Hello?"

Sam frowned at the sound of Mercedes voice, it was dull and lifeless and it was practically devoid of all emotion.

"Hey baby, how are you?"

"I'm fine, how are you," came the robotic response.

"Um, I'm good, I was just calling to check up on you."

"I'm fine."

"Mrs. Halbright said something about you being upset..."he trailed off hoping that having to fill in the blanks would make Mercedes talk more.

"She must have been mistaken, I'm fine."

"Baby, are you sure because you sound—"

"I'm fine I said!" She snapped, "I'm just tired and frustrated and I need to finish packing."

"Okay, well I could probably switch my flight and catch and earlier morning one and be home a lot earlier."

"NO!" Mercedes yelled sharply before catching herself and lowering her tone, "no, you shouldn't even mess with changing your flight, what's a few hours right?" She gave a short unconvincing laugh that made Sam suspicious.

"Are you sure you're okay, you're acting weird. Did my brother say something to you?"

"I'm fine Sam. Look, I've gotta go, okay. Have a safe flight and I'll talk to you later."

"Whoa...wait up, why are you rushing me off the phone. I've missed you today, I thought we could talk for a little while."

Mercedes gave a heavy sigh on the other line that made it clear that she was annoyed. Sam tried to ignore his own anger but Mercedes was making it damn near impossible.

"Look, if I'm boring you then I guess I'll just hang up," Sam threatened hoping that it would change Mercedes' demeanor towards him.

"Do what you have to do Sam," Mercedes responded, severely disappointing him, "I have to get back to work so..."

Sam knew a hint when he heard one but he couldn't lie and say it didn't hurt to get the brush off. He wrote off her behavior as moving-related frustrations as opposed to being upset about the Quinn thing. Mercedes never shied away from letting him know exactly what she thought about Quinn whenever she popped up so he didn't think she would start now. All he could hope for was that by the time he made it back home tomorrow whatever was bothering Mercedes would be a thing of the past.

"Ok, I'll let you go then. See you tomorrow."

"Goodbye Sam," Mercedes said brusquely with a sad tinge to her voice.

"Bye Mercy, I love yo—"

Click.

Sam pulled the phone away and stared down at it in surprise. Mercedes had never hung up on him, and she had never not said I love you back. Maybe he was wrong and she was pissed about Quinn leaving that note after all. Sam called his brother to see if he would fess up to what happened in the office but he wouldn't answer, so Sam focused his attention on Quinn. After listening to her phone ring non-stop for the fifth time, Sam finally had enough and he flung his phone across the room. He was beyond frustrated and he knew the feeling wouldn't go away until he was able to get home and get to the bottom of what happened and fix whatever messes his brother and Quinn caused. He briefly considered calling the airport to see if he could get bumped to an earlier flight but he decided against it because Mercedes was right, what was just a few more hours.

12 hours later, Sam found out that a few hours are everything.

After getting off of the exhausting flight from LA to NY, the next morning Sam quickly went home and dropped off his luggage before jumping in to take a quick shower. A part of him had hoped that Mercedes would have been at his place waiting on him since she knew what time he was supposed to be home but he guessed she decided to go on in to work instead. Sam prayed that Mercedes' weird mood from yesterday would be a thing of the past because he really missed her and he didn't like being at odds with her.

Once Sam got the office he was a bit disturbed to find that Mrs. Halbright wasn't manning the front desk. She was usually perched on that thing like a hawk so Sam was surprised to see she wasn't there. He was still a little pissed at her for her poor decision making skills when it came to the Quinn letter situation so he hoped she kept her fuck-ups to a minimum from now on because he would hate to have to reprimand her.

As Sam rode in the elevator on the way up to the 110th floor he tried to tamp down his excitement at seeing Mercedes again. No matter how they ended things the night before he still couldn't control the wide smile that was spreading across his face. As the bell dinged announcing his arrival, he stepped out into the office ready to call out a greeting to his girl but he stopped dead in his tracks when he saw a busty blonde sitting at Mercedes' desk.

"Who the hell are you?" Sam asked harshly, "How did you get up here, and why are you at Mercedes' desk?"

"Uh..." the blonde looked terrified, "My name is Mindy Reed, I...I...I'm a temp...I was called in to work today."

"WHY?" Sam yelled out.

"I...I ...don't know...it was a last minute...I.."

"Just be quiet!" Sam shoved opened the door to his office and looked around in angry disbelief. What the fuck was going on? He needed some answers and he needed them now. He stalked around to his desk and slammed himself down in his seat. He yanked his phone of the receiver and began to dial when his eyes shifted to a piece of white paper on his desk.

Dear Mr. Evans:

I hereby tender my resignation from Evans and Evans Advertising effective immediately.

Sincerely,

Mercedes Jones

As Sam stared down at the name at the bottom of the letter he could feel the blood drain out of his face. She resigned? Mercedes quit? Sam kept rolling the words around in his head but he couldn't make them make sense. There was no way she quit, Sam refused to believe it. There was no way Mercedes would do something like that to him unless...

Sam picked up the phone that had dropped when he read the resignation letter and he started dialing again. It was much harder this time with the trembling in his fingers but he managed to get the right number plugged in. Sam clenched and unclenched his jaw as he waited impatiently for the person on the other line to pick up just when he was about to give up he heard a groggy response on the other line.

"Hello?"

"What the fuck was in that envelope?" Sam yelled.

"What...who...who is this?"

"It's Sam, Quinn. What the fuck was in that envelope?"

"How did you know about that?" Quinn asked in surprise, "that envelope was for Stevie, not you."

"You don't say?" Sam spat out sarcastically, "Maybe next time you want to leave a delivery you do a better job of specifying who it's for. Since you were my ex-fiancé the receptionists thought you meant me instead of Stevie. And why wouldn't they? What reason would you have of passing notes to your ex's brother-in-law to be?"

"Oh God...did Stevie not see it?"

"I don't care if he saw it or not, I'm worried about whether or not Mercedes did."

"Why would Merced—"

"WHAT DID IT SAY?"

"Jeez, calm down. It was just a sonogram picture."

"That's it? No note or anything?" He asked impatiently.

"No," Quinn said in an annoyed voice, "I didn't put anything about you on that envelope so I don't know why Mercedes would be...oh no."

"Oh no, what?" Sam said as he could feel the icy chill of dread creeping up his back.

"It's not bad...if you know the situation."

"Which Mercedes clearly doesn't, so what did the envelope say?"

"It said that the baby was a boy and that I hoped that by seeing the baby Stevie would change his mind about us being together .Then I said something about things being weird between us because of my past mistakes and that I hoped we could get past it for the sake of the baby. Then I said that I knew he loved me as much as I loved him and we should stop fighting it and be together."

"I'm assuming you never once used Stevie's name did you?" Sam asked through gritted teeth.

"No...but oh wait! I added on there that I thought of a name so that the baby could have the same initials as his daddy, Sean Elijah Evans."

"Oh God..." Sam groaned out, "Mercedes doesn't know my middle name! Fuck! You could have been talking about me for all she knew."

"Oh, Sam I'm sorry. I never intended for any of this to happen I just wanted for Stevie to see the baby. Do you know if he saw it?"

"I gotta go Quinn, Mercedes is gone and I just...I can't deal with your stuff right now."

"I understand," she said softly, "I hope everything works out with you and Mercedes."

Sam hung up the phone without giving Quinn a response. As the phone was in the cradle he jumped out of his chair and went barreling towards the door to his office. Once he got out he found Mrs. Halbright standing by Mercedes' desk and comforting the distraught temp. She shot Sam and accusatory glance but he couldn't find it in his heart to feel bad.

"I'll triple whatever they are paying her for the day," Sam said as he brusquely walked by the desk. Mrs. Halbright continued to glare at him but the blonde temp's teary eyes immediately cleared up and she sat up straight in her seat.

"Will you be needing me tomorrow?" She asked hopefully.

"No." Sam barked as he stepped into the elevator. "Mercedes will be back tomorrow." As the doors closed Sam looked at the sad look on Mrs. Halbright's face and he prayed that he was right.

The second Sam got downstairs to the parking garage and jumped into his car he started calling Mercedes' cell and every time it took him to voicemail he just hung up and called back. With every ring of the phone he became more and more desperate. She was ignoring him on purpose just like she did yesterday, only this time he assumed he didn't have Kurt to act as a bridge between them.

Sam felt like beating his head against the steering wheel for being so damn stupid. There had been something off about her last night and he knew it. He should have pushed for answers but instead he let her blow him off because he didn't want to push too hard and end up in Quinn territory. Now all the lies and half-truths about Quinn were coming back to haunt him. If he had just been honest from the get-go none of this would have ever happened. Quinn could have brought 100 sonograms with cheesy love notes written all over them and Mercedes would have never batted an eye. But because he had been so busy protecting Quinn's scandalous secret he might end up losing the best thing that had ever happened to him.

Sam tried his best to get himself out his negative headspace by focusing on calling Mercedes yet again. At this point he had to have called her cell phone over 20 times now and it was clear that she wasn't going to answer. He was only a few blocks away from her house so he gave up on the cell phone and tried the house phone instead. He debated whether or not to leave a message when the answering machine kicked in, but the debate was a pointless one because as soon as Sam heard her voice on the answering machine words came spilling out of his mouth.

"Mercedes…Mercedes? It's me, Sam. Baby, I know you're there….please be there. I got your letter and I don't accept your resignation. You can't leave, do you hear me! You can't leave! Please…please don't leave me. I love you and we can work this out, it's all a misunderstanding. The baby is not mine its Stevie's. Just let me explain. Please? I'm almost there, just let me explain. I promise it will be okay. Mercedes…are you there?"

Sam didn't even care that his voice was cracking by the time he finished the message. Minutes later he pulled into Mercedes' parking lot and he barely had the key out of the ignition before he was bounding up the stairs two at time to get to her apartment. Once he got to the door he banged on it for a few seconds before pulling out the key that Mercedes had given him a few weeks ago and trying to unlock the door. His trembling hands made the easy task abnormally harder but after a few tries he managed to get the door open.

He rushed inside and immediately starting shouting Mercedes name but he could tell by the unusual stillness that Mercedes was no longer there. Sam walked through the apartment and he took in the starkness of the once vibrant space. When he had left the previous morning they hadn't even gotten half of her stuff packed but now everything was packed up and stacked in neat boxes by the door.

What are a few hours…Sam bitterly replayed Mercedes' words in his head. She wanted him gone so she could run. He knew without a shadow of a doubt that she didn't do all this speed packing so that she could move to her new apartment. She was leaving and she didn't want Sam to know where she was going. She knew last night when she talked to him on the phone that she was going to try and leave without a trace and that is why her good-bye sounded so final.

As the puzzle pieces started to fall in place Sam found it harder and harder to breathe. He felt as if some massive weight had landed on his chest and was crushing him. How did it all go so wrong so quickly? He knew he fucked up with the whole Quinn thing and it was nothing but bad decision after bad decision, but did it really warrant all of this pain? Sam buried his face in his hands as he tried to blink back the tears that suddenly popped into his eyes. He thought about the little blue box that was still in his suitcase back at home and his heart clenched at the idea of that symbol of his love never resting on Mercedes' finger.

He shook off the heavy depression that threatened to overtake him and decided to do one more run through of the apartment before he left. He checked in the kitchen before looking in her bedroom and the guest bedroom. Nothing of any worth caught his eye and he was heading towards the living room when the closed door to the bathroom caught his eye. He didn't think he would find anything in there that could help but he was desperate so he went inside anyway. When he pushed the door open he found the bathroom to be completely bare and he breathed out a big sigh of frustration, it appeared the bathroom search was a waste of time just like he thought. As he started to back out of the bathroom but the half-filled wastebasket caught his eye. Normally he wasn't the type to go through garbage, especially bathroom garbage, but the large purple box with EPT emblazoned on it with large black letters caught his eye. He felt his heart start to beat faster and faster as he moved closer to the wastebasket. He peered inside the waste basket but all he could see besides the box was a couple of crumpled up tissues. He reached down and picked up the box and when he did he heard a scuttling noise as the item inside was jostled about. Sam shook the box back and forth a couple times more and he knew he was only doing it as a stalling tactic. Whatever was in that box had the potential to completely change his life and he was terrified to look at it. Mercedes should have been at his side and they should have been reading that test together. He didn't want to do it alone, he wanted to share it with her but she took that choice away from the both of them so he was on his own now.

With trembling fingers he grasped the ends of the white stick and pulled it out of the box. He closed his eyes tightly for just a moment before opening his eyes and reading the word in the little circle.

Pregnant

Sam sat down heavily on the toilet and clutched the test in his hand. Mercedes was pregnant…he got her pregnant…they were going to have a baby.

Sam couldn't help the smile that sprang on his face at the thought of a child with Mercedes but his expression quickly changed as he remembered his current situation. Sam pulled his phone out of his pocket to start his incessant calling again when he heard the front door open. He jumped up from the toilet and shoved the test and his phone into his back pocket before rushing into the living room. He prayed it was Mercedes but he was sorely disappointed when he found that it was just Kurt instead and judging by Kurt's expression he wasn't too happy to see him either.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Kurt asked angrily, slamming the front door behind him.

"Look, Kurt, I don't have time to listen to you bitch at me. I need to find Mercedes, now and I know you know where she is so tell me."

"Fuck you, Sam."

"Kurt cut the bullshit, I know why she's pissed at me so if you'll just tell me where she—"

"Pissed at you? PISSED AT YOU?" Kurt screeched, "You think Mercedes did all of this because she was pissed at you? You really are an ignorant bastard aren't you?" Kurt asked disgustedly, "She's not pissed, she's heartbroken. You broke her fucking heart and now she's gone. So, you can go fuck yourself for all I care."

"Kurt," Sam said in a steely voice, "Mercedes is a big girl and she doesn't need you playing bodyguard. Tell me where she is so that we can fix our relationship."

"No."

"Kurt…" Sam said with a warning note in his voice, "I don't have time for your games, where the fuck is she?"

"I'm not tellin—"

"WHERE THE FUCK IS SHE?" Sam's face was beet red as he yelled out the words. He could feel himself losing the grip on the situation and he was starting to panic. The answer was right there in front of him and it was killing him that Kurt wouldn't just tell him.

Even though Kurt first flinched at Sam's outburst he quickly recovered his poker face as he regarded Sam coolly, "do you remember what I told you the first time we met? Huh, do you?"

"Kurt, I don't have time for this bullshit," Sam said wearily, "just tell me where she is so I can fix this."

"I told you," Kurt continued on as if he hadn't heard him, "that if you ever hurt her don't come asking me for help because I would never give it. You broke her Sam, I mean really broke her, and I'll be damned before I lead you to her so that you can do it again."

"Kurt please…" Sam asked pathetically even though he knew his last hope was slipping through his fingers, "you have to help me find her she's…she's pregnant."

"I know," Kurt whispered quietly with a sad look in his eyes. "And I don't agree with what's she's doing but she has to do it for herself and like I said before I'll always have her back, even if I don't agree with her choices."

"What the hell am I supposed to do?" Sam asked angrily, "she is out there somewhere with my unborn child and I have no idea if or when I'll ever see them….what the fuck am I supposed to do?"

"Wait or pray or search for her…I don't know," Kurt shrugged helplessly, "Mercy is scared and she's hurt and when she's like that she doesn't think she just acts. You and your ex and your shitty brother really fucked up her head and she needs time by herself to think. Time without you trying to shove your side of the story down her throat every chance you get."

"She deserves to know—"

"She deserved to know a long fucking time ago!" Kurt spat out, "I could spot the holes in the whole Quinn debacle from a million miles away but she couldn't. She was too close to the situation and too emotionally invested and she couldn't see what was really going on. Stevie's the baby's father right?"

Sam gaped in surprise at Kurt's quick assessment of the situation, "how did you know?"

"I've suspected for a while, it was the only thing that made sense and after hearing about the mix-up at the office I was sure."

"Well then why didn't you tell Mercedes?"

"I did! But she wasn't trying to hear it, once Mercedes has made her mind up about something it's almost impossible to change it. She may see the light in a few days but for right now she's not trying to hear it."

"So I do nothing but wait around and hope that she has a change of heart? That's fucking bullshit Kurt!"

"You know what Sam, I don't care if you think its bullshit or not, it still is what it is. Unless you have a crystal ball lying around with a fantastic GPS navigation system on it then I promise you you're not going to find her."

"Bullshit. I'll find her." Sam promised vehemently.

"You know what, what you need to do is clean up your mess first before you start threatening to drag Mercedes back into it kicking and screaming. Go handle your shit with Quinn and after that go do something about your sorry ass brother. Because after what he said about Mercedes I have half a mind to—"

"Hold up, what did he say about Mercedes?"

"I'm not sure, but whatever it is was the thing that fucked her up the most, she was damn near hysterical when she was telling me about it."

"That fucker…" Sam clenched his eyes shut and ran his hands through his hair, "there is no telling what that bastard said to her."

"Yeah, well like I said you need to go fix that shit. The last thing Mercedes needs if/when she comes back is your nasty brother stressing her out. Being this upset so early on in her pregnancy is not good for her or the baby as it is and I don't want to see her have to deal with anymore stress later on."

"Don't worry about my brother, he's not going to be an issue for much longer." Sam said dangerously.

"And Quinn?"

"Quinn is it bit more complicated but she will be handled as well."

"We'll see." Kurt grudgingly remarked, "I hope you're a man of your word because this is the only way you're going to get Mercy back for good. She made the mistake of blindly trusting you before, she won't do it again."

Sam nodded slowly at Kurt's words before making his way to the front door.

"Where are you going?" Kurt asked worriedly.

"I'm going to go have a chat with my brother." Sam answered in a steely voice, "It's a talk we should've had a long time ago."

"Good luck, I guess…I mean, I hope you fuck him up for hurting Mercy but since he's your brother I guess I'm not supposed to say that."

"Oh trust me, you can say it." Sam replied coldly, "Stevie just burned his final bridge with me, I can forgive a lot of things but I won't forgive him for hurting her."

"Can you forgive yourself?"

Sam stopped in the doorway at Kurt's head and hung his head, "I don't know," he replied softly. I know I don't have the right to ask for favors and you probably won't do it anyway but if you see her or talk to her tell her I love her, and I miss her, and I'm so happy we're going to have a baby together."

Sam turned to see Kurt blinking rapidly and fanning his hand in his face, "yeah, I'll tell her," he choked out, "but I don't know how long it'll be before she's ready to hear it."

"I'll wait for as long as it takes."


	22. Regrets

He fucked up.

It had been three months since that day. Three months since he had helped his hysterical friend pack up all of her belongings so that she could flee from her baby's father. At the time he thought he was doing the right thing but now he knew he was wrong. He should have made her stay and listen. Now everything was all messed up and he didn't know how to fix what he helped break. Daily he thought of the events that led to this place and often when he replayed it in his head he could pinpoint the exact moments when it all went south. It all started with a simple phone call...

"Hello?"

"Kurt?"

"Mercy? What's up baby...are you okay?" Kurt's blood stilled at the way Mercedes said his name.

"I need...I need your help..." She choked out.

"What is it? Where are you?" Kurt asked starting to get panicky, "do you need me to come get you?"

"I'm at home, I need your help!" She cried.

"Ok honey, I'll be there in just a few minutes." Kurt hung up the phone and in a flurry of movement jerked on his shoes grabbed his keys and cell phone and hustled out the door.

True to his word Kurt arrived at Mercedes apartment a few minutes later. He used his key to open the door and the sight that greeted him almost broke his heart. He found his best friend huddled on the ground and sobbing into her hands. All around her were boxes; some filled to capacity while others were on their way there. He had just been at her place the night before and Mercedes had been militant about her 'system' being followed to the tee. She had all of her boxes labeled neatly and if it said living room on it you had better not come anywhere near it with so much as a potholder from the kitchen. He had teased her mercilessly about it but he knew that even though it was driving him insane unpacking would be a breeze. Now, it seemed as if the system had been shot to hell. Pillows from the bedroom were shoved into a box that was labeled 'bathroom'. Pots and pans were thrown haphazardly in the 'living room' box and the rugs from the bathroom were stuffed into the 'kitchen' box. Kurt looked around in disbelief at the chaos that was his best friend's living room. He rushed to her side and prodded her shaking frame gently.

"Mercy, honey, what's going on?"

"Sam...he's-I can't believe...I'm so stupid." She wailed before putting her hands back over her face.

"Please, tell me what's wrong. You're scaring me! What did Sam do?" Kurt tried to keep his voice gentle but seeing his friend like this was stressing him out.

"Quinn...she's pregnant."

"Okay...what does that have to do with Sam?"

"It's his." Mercedes lifted her face out of her hands and regarded him with cool, dull, red-rimmed eyes. "Quinn brought the sonogram picture to work today so that he could see his kid and fall in love with him. And with her."

"Are...are you sure Mercedes?"

"Yes!" She shrieked, "Yes! I looked at the damn thing myself. I stood there with that damn picture in my hand and I read the sappy love note that she wrote on the envelope. She even went out of her way to let Sam know that their little baby boy would have the same initials as his daddy." She spat out disgustedly.

"Are you sure you didn't misunderstand? Maybe-"

"No." She snapped sharply, "Even if I had doubts it wouldn't have mattered because Stevie was there to confirm it all. He told me...he told me..." Mercedes put her face in her hands and started sobbing again.

"Sweetie, what did he say?"Kurt waited patiently until her sobs finally subsided.

"He told me that he didn't want me to find out that way. That Sam didn't really want me and that he was just using me. He said that I was nothing but a challenge that Sam needed to conquer. He said..."Mercedes stopped as tears slipped down her cheeks.

"He said what?"

"He said that Sam was always going to end up with Quinn despite everything and I couldn't compare. He actually asked me if I thought I could. Can you believe that?" Mercedes words were sharp but the look on her face was heartbreaking. "He said that Sam just needed another notch on his belt before he took the plunge with Quinn and I was the lucky girl."

"Mercedes, honey, that doesn't sound like Sam."

"That sounds exactly like Sam." She snapped. "That jerk that I first met? That sounds exactly like him."

"Well, maybe he's changed-"

"In a few weeks? He didn't change, he just played me like a fool and I fell for it. He practically paraded Quinn right in my face and I was too stupid to realize what was going on!"

"Mercy, you need to calm down. Have you talked to Sam?"

"NO! I don't want to hear anything he has to say." She shook her head stubbornly back and forth.

"Is that really fair? Shouldn't he be allowed to defend himself? You're going to take the word of his brother? The same brother that you said he has been having issues with?"

"Issues or not why would Stevie lie about something like that?"

"I don't know...maybe it's really his kid?"

"Bullshit." she spat out, "that doesn't even make any sense. If the kid was Stevie's then why in the world wouldn't Sam just tell me that? He would have had no reason to hide or lie if the baby was his brother's."

Mercedes had a point but Kurt still couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to the story than either of them knew about.

"Fine, even if it's all true shouldn't Sam still get the opportunity to tell you that himself? Don't you want to hear it from the horse's mouth instead of his brother's?"

Mercedes gave an unladylike snort, "do I want to hear Sam tell me that I was nothing more than a replacement fuck until he got who he wanted? No, thank you."

"You don't really think he would say that do you? I mean, I had my doubts about Sam at the beginning but you've been gushing about him almost non-stop for 6 weeks now and I began to think he was decent guy. You couldn't have been completely wrong about him, right? The guy can't be that good of an actor."

"Clearly my bullshit detector is broken. This isn't the first time I believed a man loved me only for him to kick me to the curb for someone else."Mercedes face crumpled as more tears started to run down her face.

"Mercy..."

"No." She cut him off, "No, I'm not doing this right now. I don't have time for it. I want to be gone before Sam gets back tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Kurt asked in disbelief, "You want to have this entire apartment packed up and ready to be moved by tomorrow? That's going to take all night!"

"Exactly, which is why we need to get started right now."

"Whoa...wait, a second. Your new apartment won't even be ready for three more days, where the hell do you plan on putting all this stuff?"

"Some of it going in storage for now."

"And the rest?"

"Can you grab that tape over there for me?" Mercedes asked evasively, "I want to get these full boxes taped up and moved out of the way."

"Mercedes, where is the rest of it going?"

"Ohio." She said quietly, refusing to meet his eyes.

"OHIO? Ohio had better be the name of a street here in this city."

"No, I mean Ohio as in the state of Ohio."

"Is this some kind of joke? You're really going to leave the city because of this bullshit with Sam? Even if it's all true then tell him to go to hell and move on. You don't live together, you're not married and you don't have any kids so at the end of the day it doesn't affect your life that much."

"I love him."

"So what? What if you meet someone else and fall in love? If things don't work out with them are you going to run then too?"

"It's a bit more complicated than that!"

"It had better be out of this world complicated for you to leave your job, your friends, and the life you've built here for it."

"I think I'm pregnant. Actually, I'm almost positive I'm pregnant."

Kurt let out a big whoosh as all the air escaped his lungs at once. He stared at Mercedes' sad face in shock.

"Wha-how...are you sure?"

"No, I'm not sure I haven't taken a test yet."

"Do you need me to get you one?" Kurt started patting his pockets looking for keys as he got up and started walking towards the front door.

"No, I already have one. I was going to take it at work earlier today but then everything happened with Quinn's note and I just...I can't do it right now."

"Why not?"

"Because I need to focus on packing and what my next move is going to be. As long as this pregnancy is just a maybe thing then I can concentrate on what I need to do right now."

"Okay, Mercy you know I love you but if you are pregnant then running is an even worse idea then I previously thought."

Mercedes hands stilled on the giant pillows that she was trying to stuff into the cardboard box. Kurt swallowed hard but he continued on even though he knew he may regret it.

"It's not fair to your baby to grow up without its father."

"No." She snapped, whirling around to face him, "it's not fair for my baby to grow up with a father that rather be somewhere else with his other family."

"What are you talking about? You don't even know for sure if-"

"Are you going to help or not? I don't want to talk about this anymore."

"Mercedes, I know you're upset but honey you need to slow down. Moving to Ohio like this is a bad idea and you need to think of the repercussions."

"You think I haven't? All I thought about for the last couple of hours are the repercussions. I know this may not be the best idea but it's the best one for me right now and I don't have time to think of another one. So please, Kurt can you just help me? I need you to be my friend and have my back, that's all. Can you please do that for me?"

Mercedes voice had gotten high and panicky so Kurt realized that arguing with her wasn't going to do anything but agitate her more and if she was pregnant that was the last thing she needed .

"Okay," he said grudgingly.

Mercedes gave him a watery smile before walking over to him and giving him a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you Kurt." She whispered sincerely. "So where's that tape?"

Kurt shook his head as he thought about how his actions helped to bring them to where they are right now. If he had just put his foot down and held his ground then odds are Mercedes wouldn't have gotten packed in time and Sam would've have caught her before she left town. Kurt always prided himself on being a loyal friend but this time he had to find out the hard way that being loyal wasn't always the best course, especially when being loyal means helping your friend make a bad life-altering decision.

Kurt still remembered the cold chill he felt every time the phone rang that day. He remembered how Mercedes hands would become more and more frantic with every shrill ring. He had lost count at how many times she let it ring before she finally begged him to answer the phone. He remembered the haunted look in her eyes when she got on the phone with Sam. He remembered her curt words as she rushed him off the phone. He remembered the way she crumpled in his arms and sobbed for what seemed like forever when she got off. He remembered the dull but determined gleam in her eye when she finally pulled herself together. He remembered all the business-like calls she made to moving companies and storage companies as she prepared to uproot her entire life in less than 24 hours. He remembered the heavy silence as he helped his best friend hurriedly pack her things so that she could leave him behind.

He remembered it all and he hated it.

The only bright spot of that hellish 24 hours was when Mercedes took her pregnancy test. He sat next to her on the side of the tub in the bathroom after she took it and he couldn't help but ask,

"So, how'd this happen?"

Mercedes gave a small smirk, "do I need to explain the birds and bees, Kurt?"

"Ha ha, very funny. What I meant was you seem pretty sure you're pregnant, where you guys trying?"

"No. I was just one of those moments. Sam forgot the condom and I had screwed up on my birth control."

"You know there's Plan B, right?"

"Yes, I know, believe me I know. The second he realized the forgot the condom he told me about it and he went on and on about how he wasn't trying to have any kids so when I realized I forgot my birth control I panicked and lied and told him that my end was taken care of."

Kurt gave out a loud gasp and Mercedes just shot him a look.

"The next morning I went and got the Plan B pill and I intended to take it when I got back home. However, before I could Emma had her baby and Sam and I went to go see him. While we were there Sam held him in his arms and he was so great with him, I knew for a fact that I loved him in that moment." Mercedes wiped her damp eyes, "when we got back here I tried to rush up here and take the pill but Sam knew that something was up with me and he demanded an answer. I told him all about the pill mix-up and the Plan B and he asked me not to take it."

"What?"

"Can I finish?"

"Yeah, it's just, he wanted the baby?"

"That's what I thought," Mercedes answered bitterly, "but I guess I was wrong."

"Merced—"

"Anyways, we argued a while about me taking the pill until I finally admitted that the reason I didn't want to take it was because I felt like I would be getting rid of our baby, instead of just protecting myself against a possible pregnancy."

"Plan B is just an emergency form of birth control."

"I know that Kurt, I didn't say what I felt was factually correct, but it was still the way I felt."

"So you didn't take it?"

"Yes, I took it, but apparently it didn't work or I waited too long or something. Or maybe it did and this whole conversation is pointless."

"Well, your time is up so whenever you're ready to check it..."

Mercedes gave Kurt a scared look as she chewed on her bottom lip.

"If this is positive then everything changes, no matter what my life will be different from now on."

"Yep." He nodded slowly in agreement.

"I'm scared." She whispered timidly, "I'm scared that it's positive, I'm scared it's negative. I don't know what I want it to be."

"Do you want me to look?"

"Please?"

Kurt reached over and pulled the white stick off the bathroom counter and looked down at the little digital readout.

Pregnant

He felt tears well up in his own eyes as he reached over and hugged his best friend.

"Congrats, Mommy."

At Kurt's words Mercedes started to cry against his shoulder. She pulled the test up from his lap so that she could see and she gave a watery giggle when she was the word for herself.

"What the hell am I going to do?"

Kurt remembered the desolate tone of Mercedes' voice as she asked that question. He remembered the helpless feeling that washed over him as he realized that his friend was truly struggling and he didn't know how to help her. At the time he thought her going to Ohio to be with her mother would be the best thing for her but now he knew that he was dead wrong. Helping her run to Ohio didn't make Kurt a good friend, it made him a fool for helping his friend run from her problems.

Now here he was three months later full of regret. After he left Mercedes early that morning to run some errands he never expected it would be the last time he saw her. He never expected her move to Ohio to be a permanent one, in fact, he even went out of his way to make sure most of her stuff ended up in storage instead of on the truck to Ohio. He just knew that she would either come to her senses or Sam would get through to her and bring her back. It was all supposed to work out, because once Mercedes found out about Stevie being the baby's daddy all the other pieces would fall into place and she would realize that the only thing Sam was guilty of was protecting his shady, deadbeat brother.

As Kurt thought about Sam his heart clenched. That man had been through hell for the past three months and Kurt would never stop regretting his role in it. If he had just told Sam that first day that Mercedes went to her mother's in Ohio then all of this could have been avoided. He had figured it out on his own a week later but by then it had been too late and Mercedes was gone.

That was 11 weeks ago.

Mercedes hasn't been seen or heard from since.


	23. Run, Mercy, Run

"We have to think of a name, Sam." Mercedes said with a huge grin on her face, "and it has to be something good because our kid is going to have to carry around for the rest of his or her life."

"Something good, huh? Any suggestions?" Sam asked as he nuzzled his face into the side of her neck. "Whatever you pick I'm sure I love it."

"Ok...well, I was thinking Aundrea or Gabrielle for a girl but I can't think of any boy names."

"I have one."

"Really, what is it?" Mercedes smiled up at Sam in anticipation but her happiness quickly turned to horror as she watched Sam's crooked grin morph into a sinister grimace as he spat out words in a voice she didn't recognize.

"How about Sean Elijah Evans? That way he can have the same initials as his Daddy..."

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

Mercedes jerked awake at the loud incessant noise coming from the little black alarm clock on her night stand. She glared at it but for once she was grateful for the abrupt wake-up because it kept her from reliving that dream yet again. The dream where she and her baby were cast aside, unwanted, as Sam lived a perfect life with his perfect wife Quinn and their perfect little blonde baby boy. That dream had come to her every night since the day she had saw that sonogram picture on Sam's desk. Some nights it was cut short or she was so tired that she didn't remember it. But there were other nights where it was as clear as if it were in HD and it was like a bad horror movie playing in her head that she couldn't turn off.

She sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed and waited for the nausea that had plagued her almost relentlessly for the past 11 weeks to subside. For the last few days it had only been a touch of queasiness in the mornings instead of the borderline Linda Blair-esque episodes that she had gone through in the first few weeks after she had found out she was pregnant. At almost 17 weeks Mercedes was finally in her second trimester and aside from a few 'iffy' moments in the morning she felt great. She smiled as she rubbed her stomach and she felt the tiny bump that was getting bigger and firmer every day. She hated doing this alone but she hated the alternative even more.

Mercedes glanced back over at the alarm clock and saw that the she had wasted almost five minutes thinking about bad dreams and morning sickness. She shook her head at her foolishness before getting up to start her morning ritual. She headed towards the bathroom but came up short when she realized it was occupied.

"Santana! Why are you still here? You're usually at work before I even get up in the mornings."

"Keep your panties on Mercedes!" Santana screamed through the door, "I'll be out in a second!"

Mercedes sighed and went back in her room and grabbed an outfit for work. Not too soon after she found something suitable she heard the door from the bathroom swing open followed quickly by a sharp rap on her door.

"Do I have to remind you that I'm letting you stay here, rent-free I might add, out of the goodness of my heart?"

Mercedes spared her old high-school buddy a quick glance before rolling her eyes and letting out an unladylike snort.

"The goodness of your heart Santana? Really? Don't you have to have a heart first before any goodness can come out?"

"Ha, ha, real funny." Santana said sarcastically as she plopped down on Mercedes unmade bed, "you can thank me and the goodness of my cold dead heart for this comfortable ass bed you've been sleeping on for almost three months."

Mercedes' snarky mood quickly became somber as she thought about the reason why she was bunking at Santana's apartment and she apologized to her friend for being ungrateful.

"Girl, stop," Santana tossed a pillow in Mercedes' direction, "you know I'm just playing with you. Like I told you when you first showed up on my doorstep, you are free to stay here as long as you need to."

Mercedes thought back to the desperation that had her calling a woman that she had only seen sporadically since high school and asking for a place to stay. Santana Lopez had always had tough exterior but inside that 'cold dead heart' of hers was actually made of gold.

"Thanks, Tana. I really do appreciate what you're doing for me and the baby." Mercedes said sincerely before picking up the pillow that was at her feet and tossing it back at her friend. "Now, why are you still here? Weren't you supposed to be at work like half an hour ago?"

"Ugh, don't remind me, I hate that fucking job." Santana practically growled, "if the pay wasn't so damn good I would have left it a long time ago."

Santana was a lawyer at a huge firm but what she really wanted to do was branch out and open a much smaller practice of her own. The dream was entirely possible but Santana really liked the money and she wasn't quite ready to give up a sure thing to build something up from scratch.

"So, are you going in late on purpose so they'll fire you?" Mercedes asked, confused, "because that doesn't sound like the best idea to me."

"No, we have to stay late for mandatory overtime so they graciously let us come in an hour late even though I'm sure the overtime will be at least three or four hours."

"Oh, well...sorry." Mercedes gave her friend an apologetic smile before gathering up her toiletries for her morning ritual. "I get off at my regular time so if you call me and let me know when you're getting off I can have dinner ready."

"No need, I'll just grab something on my way home. Speaking of your job, how do you like it?"

"It's good, real good. Thanks for the suggestion, I'd probably still be job hunting if it weren't for you."

The day after Mercedes appeared on Santana's doorstep she was determined to find a job. Santana insisted that it wasn't necessary for her to start working immediately but Mercedes refused to be any more of a burden than she already was. She was fully prepared to grab the first paper she could find and start perusing the want ads but luckily for her Santana had a friend that worked at the local community healthcare center and they were in desperate need of a receptionist. Between the referral from Santana's friend and a great letter of recommendation from the OBGYN she used to work for, she was hired almost immediately. The facility housed everything from a general practitioner to a pediatrician, to an OBGYN and even a dentist. Mercedes worked for the pediatrician and after seeing how he was with his patients she was already convinced that he would be the perfect doctor for her child.

Her life for the past couple of months has been peaceful and she was content but even on her best days she still couldn't ignore the gnawing feeling in her gut that wouldn't go away. She hated how she left things with Kurt, her mother, and Sam but pride, stubbornness and a broken heart wouldn't allow her to fix any of it. Her main focus now was her baby and she was determined to do whatever she had to do to make it on her own. She had every intention of talking to Sam about the baby but she wanted to be securely standing on her own two feet when she did. She didn't want his sympathy or his charity, if he wanted to start up some perfect blonde life in the suburbs with Quinn that was fine with her but she would be damned before she accepted a hand-out from him because he felt guilty for knocking her up.

Mercedes could feel the familiar bitterness swelling up in her again but she was quickly brought out of her reverie by Santana clearing her throat loudly.

"Thinking about the baby daddy again? Just wondering because you've got that look that you only get when you talk about him."

"Yeah, I wish I wasn't but he has this way of popping into my head."

"You still in love with him?"

"No!" Mercedes snapped quickly, "after everything he did and all the lies he told there is no way I would still love him."

"Mmm-hmmm..." Santana shot Mercedes a look that clearly said she didn't believe a word she was saying but she didn't push it.

"Well, chica I gotta go slave away at this hellish job so I'll catch you later." Santana hopped off the bed and with a slight wave towards Mercedes and a blown kiss at her belly, Santana headed towards the living room and out the front door. Once she was gone Mercedes turned on the radio before walking over to the huge window that was covered by a huge white curtain. As she stared at the huge palm trees blowing gently in the wind she listened to the effervescent announcer give his hourly weather report.

"Get ready for a muggy one! The humidity is at about 82% and we will be reaching the upper 90's by Noon. Expect some thunderstorms later this evening at around quittin' time, so you all better have your umbrellas ready! It's going to be another scorchin' wet one here in Miami! Now, here's Tracey with your traffic report..."

12 WEEKS EARLIER

As Mercedes navigated the familiar roads of Lima, Ohio she wiped at the tears that had seemingly been streaming down her face for the past two days. After driving for over 10 hours straight her eyelids were heavy and she desperately needed sleep. She knew she should have stopped and rested instead of driving straight through but once she got in her car she couldn't force herself to stop other than to get gas and grab the occasional bite to eat. When she finally pulled up in front of her childhood home the relief she felt was enough to have her bursting into tears all over again. She buried her face in her hands and allowed herself a few minutes to get what she hoped were the last few tears out.

After recovering from her brief sobbing fit she dragged her exhausted frame out of her car and trudged up the steps to her mother's home. She was only able to rap on the door a couple of times before it swung open and revealed her mother. The sight of Marilyn Jones was like a hundred pound weight lifted off of Mercedes' shoulders. As soon as the screen door swung open she collapsed into her mother's arms and buried her face in her neck.

"Oh baby..." Marilyn crooned as she rocked her daughter back and forth in her arms, "come in the house and tell me what's wrong."

Mercedes let her mother lead her into her spacious living room but once she got settled in the words simply wouldn't come. She wanted to tell her mother everything but at the same time she was so ashamed at the situation she had found herself in that she couldn't bring herself to tell her mother about it.

"Sweetie, do you want to talk about it?" Mercedes stared into the sincere, doe-shaped brown eyes that were so similar to hers and she shook her head sadly.

"I can't Mama...not right now."

"Ok baby, what do you need? Are you hungry?"

"No, I'm just tired, I drove all night."

Mercedes watched as her mother pressed her lips together and she knew she was forcing herself not to reprimand her daughter for driving all night without resting.

"Well in that case let's get you up to bed. Your old bedroom is all ready for you."

"Thanks, Mama." Mercedes gave her mother a small smile before making her way up the stairs towards her old bedroom. She turned when she got to the top step and said, "I love you mama, good night."

"Good night baby, get some rest."

"I will."

As soon as Mercedes entered the room she dropped her bag on the ground, kicked her shoes off, and crawled into bed fully dressed and she was asleep the second her head hit the pillow.

For the next two days Mercedes practically hibernated in her room and fortunately for her Marilyn let her, on the third day however, it was clear that her mother had enough of her moping around and she wanted answers.

"Mercedes, we need to talk."

"I don't feel like talking right now, I need time."

"You've had three days Mercedes, that's enough. I've never seen you act like this and frankly it's starting to scare me."

"Mama, I'm fine! I just need some time to figure some stuff out." Mercedes snapped.

"You call me crying hysterically and then show up on doorstep two days later and you're going and try and tell me that everything is fine? Don't lie to me, girl. What's going on?"

"I'm pregnant!" Mercedes blurted out.

"Wha—" Marilyn's eyes looked as if they were about to bug out of her head as she stared in disbelief at her only child. "How...are you sure Mercedes?"

"Yes, I'm sure. I just took a test a few days ago. I'm going to go to a doctor to confirm it but I know without a doubt that I'm pregnant."

"I...I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything, there is nothing to say." Mercedes said angrily, "it just happened and now I have to deal with it."

"Woah...wait, a minute, deal with it? What exactly does that mean? You're not getting rid of this baby are you?"

"No, I can't...I don't want to."

Marilyn breathed an audible sigh of relief as Mercedes swiped at the tears that were threatening to spill over.

"Okay honey, if you know that you're keeping the baby then what's the problem?"

"It's Sam..." Mercedes voice trailed off as she started picking at a piece of imaginary lint on her t-shirt. Her mother knew the absolute bare minimum about Sam, in fact all Mercedes had told her was that she was dating a man that she worked with named Sam.

"He's the father? You two haven't been together that long have you?"

"No, just about six weeks." Mercedes answered quietly praying that her mother would stop asking question about Sam.

"Well, what does he have to say about all of this?" Marilyn pressed.

"He doesn't know and frankly I don't care what he would think if he did know." Mercedes replied coldly.

"Honey, I don't understa—"

"I'm done talking about this!" Mercedes screamed, "I came here to get away from Sam, so the last thing I want to be doing right now is talking about him. I know you have question but they are going to have to wait Mama, because I can't deal with it right now."

Marilyn's head snapped back at her daughter's haughty tone and her eyes narrowed dangerously. Mercedes knew she was skating on thin ice with her mother but at that moment suffering her wrath was easier compared to talking about Sam.

"Fine, I'll let you have some time Mercy, but this conversation isn't over, do you hear me?"

"Yes, ma'am."

Marilyn left the bedroom and Mercedes fell back against her bed gratefully. She would have to face the world at some point but today was not that day.

By the fifth day Mercedes had somehow managed to fall into an even deeper depression and had blocked out the outside world entirely. Unbeknownst to her, her mother had had enough and got in touch with Kurt to find out what was going on. What she heard had her on the warpath and all of her anger was directed towards her daughter.

"MERCEDES JONES! GET OUT OF THAT BED NOW!"

Mercedes' eyes snapped open as she heard her mother's loud, angry voice right outside her bedroom door. She quickly got out of bed and pulled the door open to find her mother practically vibrating with anger as she held her cordless phone in her had.

"Mercedes you have about five seconds to explain to me what the hell is going on!"

"What are you talking about Mama?"

"You quit your job? You don't have anywhere to live? You were dating your boss? What the hell is going on with you?"

Mercedes could feel all the blood drain from her face as her mother spat out question after question.

"Who were you talking to on the phone?"

"No! You don't get to ask any questions. I have been patient even though I've been going out of my mind with worry but I'm done with it. You are going to tell me what the hell is going on and you're going to tell me now."

"Not until you tell me who you talked to." Mercedes said stubbornly.

"Kurt. I called Kurt because I wanted to know what was wrong with you and he spilled the whole story. He had been worried about you for days, Mercedes! The very least you could have done was call your friend and tell him that you were okay."

Mercedes felt instantly guilty because she knew her mother was right. Once she got home she was so worried about shutting the world out so that she didn't have to deal with her problems for a little while that she didn't even think about the people that were worried about her.

"You're right, I'll call him and let him know I'm alright." She reached for the cordless but came up short when her mother jerked the phone out of her reach.

"No. You can call him later but you and I are going to talk right now."

"Mama I don't want—"

"Frankly, what you want right now isn't that important to me. We are going to have this talk and we are going to have it right now whether you're ready for it or not."

Mercedes could start to feel her blood boil. She loved and respected her mother but she wasn't a child and she resented her mother for treating her like one just to get her to bend to her will.

"Fine." Mercedes snapped, "let's get this over with."

Marilyn turned on her heel and went back down the stairs towards the living room forcing Mercedes to follow suit. Once they got situated on the couch Marilyn shot Mercedes a look that clearly said that she needed to get started so Mercedes reluctantly began her tale. She told her mother everything from start to finish and when she was done she expected that her mother would have her back.

She couldn't have been more wrong.

"So let me get this straight Mercedes, you quit your job, left your home and ran out on your baby's father because of a letter? A letter that frankly you had no business reading anyway? Not only that but you ran out without giving him a chance to explain or defend himself? I know I taught you to be smarter than that."

"Excuse me?" Mercedes asked in disbelief, "did you hear anything I said?"

"Yes, I heard everything you said, the question is did you hear it?"

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means that you've jumped to one hell of a conclusion with almost no evidence to back it up. You claim that you loved Sam but the first opportunity that came along for you to cry foul and dump him you took it."

"He lied to me, Mama! He claimed he loved me but he spent our entire relationship keeping secrets about his ex-fiancé!"

"Maybe if you'll let him expla—"

"He had plenty of chances to explain! He had plenty chances to come clean about his relationship with Quinn but he chose to keep silent. He played me for a fool and I fell for it hook, line, and sinker."

"Mercedes you need to talk to Sam. According to Kurt you've got it all wrong."

"According to Kurt? How in the hell would Kurt know what I have wrong."

"He talked to Sam when he came looking for you and he said that it's important that you get Sam's side of the story."

Mercedes started shaking her head from left to right before her mother even finished her sentence.

"No...just no. I don't know what Sam told Kurt and frankly right now I don't give a damn. That man lied to my face for weeks, so lying to Kurt would be like a walk in the park to him."

"Mercedes I think you're fishing..."

"Fishing for what?"

"For a reason to hate Sam."

"Oh, believe me Mama, I didn't have to fish very hard." Mercedes answered bitterly.

"If he did all the things that you are accusing him of, then yes, he deserves your disdain but you need to make sure that he's guilty before you punish him."

"I'm not trying to punish him. I'm just doing what's right for me and my baby."

"Don't you mean 'our' baby?"

"What?"

"You said you have to do what's right for your baby but it isn't just your baby, you didn't make it alone."

"I'm aware of that Mama."

"Well, then again I ask, why are you trying to punish him?"

"I'm not!" Mercedes snapped in exasperation, "I needed space and time to think and I knew I wouldn't get that if I stayed in the city, so I left."

"That's BS and you know it Mercedes. If you need some space you pack an overnight bag and go spend the night in a different place. You don't quit your job, move out of your apartment, and flee everything you've known for years just so you can get some 'space and time'. You're running from him and you know it and I know it, the question is why?"

"Mom, I'm done with this conversation. Call Kurt back and tell him I'm fine."

"No. Tell me right now why you're really running. Tell me why you had every intention of keeping Sam from knowing about his child."

"Had? What are you talking about?" Mercedes asked, panic seeping into her voice.

"Kurt told him. The day you left Sam came to your place frantically looking for you but he found Kurt...and your pregnancy test instead."

Mercedes eyes closed slowly as she cursed herself for being stupid enough to leave her pregnancy test back at the apartment.

"What did he say?"

"I don't know Kurt didn't tell me, all he said was that you needed to talk to Sam yourself."

"No, I don't want to talk to Sam. I don't want to hear whatever crappy excuse he will try and pull out of thin air. I don't want to hear about how I was wrong and I imagined the whole thing. I just don't want to hear it."

"That doesn't make any sense Mercedes, why wouldn't you want to know the truth? Why wouldn't you want to fix this before it gets too out of hand...for the baby's sake."

"I am doing this for the baby!" Mercedes screamed, "My baby's well-being is my first priority but I can't say I'm too surprised that you can't see that."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean Mercedes?"

"It means that protecting my baby's mental, physical and emotional well-being is very important to me."

"Are you insinuating that it wasn't important to me?"

"I don't know, you tell me." Mercedes said coldly, "At what point does it stop being okay to subject your child to a situation where she was unwanted?"

Marilyn's head snapped back as if Mercedes slapped her and her eyes welled with tears.

"Mercedes, you need to be real careful because you are skating on thin ice right now.

"I don't care! How can you sit there and try and tell me what I should do for my baby's sake when for years you didn't care about your own baby's sake?"

"You don't know what you're talking about."

"I don't know?" Mercedes laughed harshly, "I know all too well what it's like to not be wanted by your father. I know what it's like to desperately do all the right things to get that man to love you only to find out time and time again that it wasn't enough. I know what it was like to be cast aside as if I were nothing so that he could go build a brand new life with his new wife and his new kids. I know what it's like to be unwanted and I will never, EVER let my child feel that for even a second."

"Sweetie..."

"No! Don't sweetie me, if you had protected me I would have never had to go through that. I needed my mother to have my back but instead you were so desperate to hold on to that pathetic idea of a family with Daddy that you used me as the glue that was supposed to hold it together. You weren't enough to keep him around and neither was I and now we both have to live with that knowledge for the rest of our lives. I will not do that to my child. He or she will never have to feel second best when it comes to their parent's love. My child will never feel like a burden or a mistake or anything like that. I don't need Sam, I'll love our baby enough for the both of us."

As Mercedes finished her tirade she angrily wiped away tears before looking into her mother's sad eyes. She felt sorry for her outburst but she had been holding on to that resentment for so long it was bound to come out at some point. Mercedes hadn't thought about her deadbeat father in years but after finding out about Sam's soon-to-be 'other family' and Stevie's harsh words all of the insecurities and self-doubt that she thought she had gotten rid of years ago came hurtling to the surface. She spent years convincing herself that she was good enough to be loved even if her father didn't think so and she would never wish that feeling on her worst enemy, much less her own child. There was a niggling doubt in the back of Mercedes mind that she was wrong about everything but it was completely swamped by the fear of history repeating itself. She would never forgive herself if she allowed her child to go through the exact same pain that she went through for years.

"I'm sorry Mama if I hurt your feelings, but this is the way I feel."

"Baby, I know what happened with your father hurt you but Sam is not him. You can't punish him for someone else's sins."

"For the last time Mama, I'm not punishing him. I just...I have to protect my baby the best way I know how."

"Keeping them apart is the best way? I know you're upset but even you have to admit that plan isn't a good one."

"I know it's not the best plan but that's why I needed time away from him. I never intended to keep the baby a secret from him forever but I did want to keep it a secret until I figured something out. The baby won't be here for months so Sam's involvement, if there is even going to be any, isn't necessary until he or she gets here."

"Is that fair, Mercedes?"

"No," She admitted, "But for right now it's going to have to do."

"Honey, I wish that you would just talk—"

"Mama, I don't feel well, I'm going to back to bed, okay?" Mercedes asked curtly, before getting up from the couch and walking away without waiting for an answer.

A few hours later Mercedes woke up feeling extremely thirsty so she decided to go to the kitchen and grab a bottle of water. As she padded down to the kitchen she could hear her mother talking to someone on the other phone but she barely paid attention to the conversation until she heard her name.

"I know, I know Mercedes can be very stubborn sometimes...yes, I know this is for the best and I'm sure she knows it too, she just doesn't want to admit it...how soon can you be here?...tomorrow? That would be perfect...no, I think it's best if we don't tell her you're coming...yes, she will most definitely be mad...no, no don't worry about it...I'm sure...she needs to know the truth and she'll only believe it coming from you...I'm sure honey, don't worry about it...I want what's best for my grandchild...I totally understand...are you ready for the address?...Okay, it's 5151 Spartan Way, Lima Ohi—

"WHO ARE YOU TALKING TO?" Mercedes angrily grabbed the phone from her shocked mother's hand before barking into the phone, "who is this?"

"Mercedes, this is Sam. Baby, you need to listen to—"

Click.

A long stretch of silence followed the quiet beep of the cordless phone being turned off. Mercedes stared accusingly at her mother as the feeling of rage and betrayal clawed at her throat.

"How could you?" she asked quietly as she fought the urge to scream at her mother.

"I'm doing you a favor Mercedes, you're too wrapped up in past hurts to see that what you're doing now is wrong."

"Did you call him or did he call you?"

"What does it matter?"

"It matters because I need to know if you actively betrayed me or if you just took advantage when an opportunity presented itself?"

"I called him." Marilyn answered without a lick of remorse, "I called Kurt back and got Sam's phone number and then I called him."

"Wow Mama, it's so good to know that yet again when I needed you the most you hung me out to dry." Mercedes spat out angrily, "at least this time I was prepared for it."

"Mercedes Renee Jones, when you are in this house you will respect me! You can be angry all you want but you are not going to talk to me any kind of way in my house!"

"You're absolutely right, I'm not."

With that Mercedes threw the cordless phone down on the couch and went back upstairs to her bedroom. She grabbed her bag off the floor and she furiously started scooping up the few meager belongings that she had unpacked during her brief stay. After giving the room a quick once-over she threw her bag over her shoulder and headed back downstairs. When she got to the living room she found her mother in the same spot that she left her in. Mercedes debated walking right out the front door but even feeling as betrayed as she did, she would never leave her mother like that.

"Mama, I'm leaving."

Marilyn's eyes snapped towards her daughter's in disbelief as she took everything in.

"Mercedes, don't be ridiculous it's late and you don't need to be on the road at this time of night."

"I've done it before, besides, I've been sleeping constantly for the last 5 days, so being tired is the least of my worries."

"Honey, just wait until tomorrow—"

"I can't, he'll be here tomorrow and I can't...I just can't deal with him right now."

"How long do you plan on running Mercedes?" Her mother asked sadly. "You can't do this forever."

"I'll do it for a long as I need to. I'll do it until I figure out the best situation for me and my baby."

"The best situation is right in front of you but you're too stubborn to see it!"

"Mama, I don't want to fight anymore."

"Will you at least tell me where you are when you get there?"

"I'll call you when I make it, okay? I gotta go now, but I love you."

"I love you too, Mercedes. Please think about talking to Sam...please?"

"Bye, Mama." Mercedes hated being so short with her mother but she couldn't give her the answer she wanted and she refused to lie.

"Bye baby, take care of my grandchild."

"I will."

Mercedes gave her mother a quick hug and kiss before running out to her car. Once inside the feeling of despair threatened to crush her but she fought past it. She never thought she would be leaving her mother's like this but she couldn't stay knowing that he would be there soon. She knew she was taking the coward's way out by running again but in that moment she didn't care. She needed peace and space so that she could think. She needed time to run through all of her options and figure out what she wanted and needed. She needed time to get her bearings back so that when she faced Sam again she wouldn't be an emotional basket case. She wanted to be strong so that if she did see Sam with his new family she could handle it. She wanted to be secure so that if he offered her some guilt money she could tell him where he could shove it. She wanted to set herself up to be the best self-sufficient mother that she could be and she couldn't do that if she was being constantly reminded of him every day. She needed to be with someone who didn't give a damn about Sam Evans or his 'truth' and she needed that person to be so far off his radar he wouldn't even know where to begin to look. Luckily for her she knew a person that fit the bill exactly.

She pulled her phone out of her duffel bag and turned it back on, she had cut it off when she first got to her mother's house and had never bothered to turn it on back again. As soon as the home screen lit up numerous dings from e-mails, text messages, voicemail and missed calls started going off. She ignored all of it and instead went to her contacts. She scrolled down to the 'S' section and ignored the tiny stab of pain when she saw Sam's name and instead focused on the name directly below his. She pushed the name and another screen popped up prompting her to press again to call. She pressed the screen and after about three rings the person on the other line picked up.

"This had better be good because it's 11 o' clock at night and I have work in the morning!"

"Santana?"

"Yeah, who is this?"

"Hi, it's Mercedes."

"Well, long time no hear, Merce, what's up?"

"Um...nothing much, I just have a massive favor to ask you."

"Shoot."

"I was wondering if I could stay with you for a while?"

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Can I live with you for a while?"

"Hold up, I haven't heard from you in God knows how long and when you finally do call it's to ask to move in?"

"I know, I know...look, I wouldn't be doing this if it weren't extremely urgent but I have nowhere else to go right now and I'm desperate."

"Ugh, fine...how long?"

"I'm not sure, but I promise I'll be out of your hair as soon as I possibly can."

"Alright, Mercedes but girl you are going to owe me."

"Big time."

"So when are you going to be here, because I really was serious about having to get to work in the morning."

"Well, I'm in Ohio right now so...in a few days?"

"What?"

"Look it's a long story and I'll tell you all about it when I get there, okay."

"You'd better. Drive safe, and let me know when you're close so I can throw some stuff in the closet in the guest bedroom and make it look presentable."

Mercedes laughed at her friend's snarky remark and it felt good after what seemed like days and days of endless crying.

"Alright, Tana. Thank you again, I promise you won't regret it."

"Mmmm-hmmm, girl, we'll see."

"Bye."

"Bye."

Mercedes hung up the phone and said a small prayer of thanks that she was able to find somewhere else to go so quickly. She gave her mother's house one last longing look before backing out of the driveway and back onto the streets of Lima. It wasn't long before she was outside of city limits and she stopped at the first gas station she saw and filled up car. She plugged in the coordinates to Santana's house into her GPS and with another small prayer for a safe trip she took out into the open road. She hoped that being in Miami and far away from New York and Ohio would give her the time and space that she felt she needed and most importantly the odds of Sam finding her in Miami were close to nil.

PRESENT DAY

Mercedes really, really hated when the weatherman was right. She struggled up the sidewalk towards Santana's house with the worthless umbrella that she spent a fortune on as sheets of rain fell down on her. At the first gust of wind her piece of shit umbrella had folded like a house of cards and she had gotten soaked within seconds. Now she was dripping wet and she could just add that to list of other shit that didn't go right for her that day. She had gotten yelled at by her boss and written up for something she didn't even do. Her back had been killing her all day and halfway through the afternoon she had gotten a monstrous craving for chocolate but there was none anywhere in the office. She would have stopped on her way home and picked some up but she didn't want to get out into the rain but considering her current state, she may as well have gone for it, at least now she would have chocolate. The thought of her missed opportunity with the chocolate just made Mercedes want to cry so she continued trudging up the sidewalk as she tried to shield herself with the broken umbrella.

Just as the thought entered into her mind that her day couldn't possibly get any worse her toe caught a tiny crack in the sidewalk and she stumbled causing her belongings to fly everywhere. She had to bite back the supreme need to bury her face in her hands and burst into tears. This day had sucked and she just wanted it to be over. She started to gather up her soaking belongings but when she reached for the tattered umbrella a pair of black boots appeared in her line of vision. As she grabbed the umbrella a smooth, slightly tanned hand grabbed it at the same time and when their fingers lightly touched and a spark of electricity shot through Mercedes' arm. She instantly snatched her hand back and looked up in horror at a pair of steely, cold, green eyes staring down at her.

"I must say Miss Jones you sure know how to play a mean game of hide and go seek."


	24. The Truth Shall Set You Free

She was here.

He finally found her.

She was beautiful and it took everything in him not to hate her.

As the driving rain settled into a soft sprinkle he stared down at the mother of his child and the burst of joy that he initially felt at finding her was quickly smothered out by the bitterness, anger, and sorrow that had taken residence in his heart. He watched with barely concealed anger as the look on Mercedes' face changed from shock to horror as she realized who was standing in front of her.

"I must say Miss Jones you sure know how to play a mean game of hide and go seek."

The comment was light-hearted but the look on Sam's face was anything but. Mercedes hiding skills were no joke and he had the sleepless nights to prove it. He hadn't gotten a full night's sleep since she left him and he was exhausted. Every time he closed his eyes it seemed that every worst case scenario possible would flash across his mind until he was forced to open his eyes. The only 'sleep' he got nowadays was provided to him by Jack Daniels. Passing out in a drunken stupor may not be anyone else's idea of a good night's rest but it was the only one he could count on. Ironically enough, the only sense of pleasure he got out of it was knowing just how much Mercedes would hate him drowning his sorrows in Jack.

"Sam...wha...how in the hell did you find me?"

Mercedes tone was sharp but it still didn't hide the slight tremble in her voice. Her eyes darted around anxiously as if she were searching for an escape and seeing it broke the seal on Sam's tenuously held anger.

"It doesn't fucking matter. Get your shit together, we're leaving." He barked.

Mercedes stopped frantically searching for a way out and instead leveled an incredulous look in Sam's direction.

"Um, no. You can do whatever you want to but weare not going anywhere.

Sam knew getting Mercedes to come back to New York with him wouldn't be easy but even still hearing her deny him made him even angrier.

"I don't come all this way to argue with you Mercedes. I came to bring you," he glanced down pointedly at her stomach, "and our child home. This bullshit has gone on long enough."

"Unless you plan on kidnapping me, then it's not happening. If I go back to the city, it's not going to be until I'm good and damn ready."

She snatched her worthless umbrella out of his hand and pushed past him to go the few remaining steps to her front door. He watched as she fumbled with her keys and cursed under her breath repeatedly until she was able to shove the right key into the keyhole. He may have found the whole thing amusing if it weren't for the fact that Mercedes was trying to run from him yet again. Sam had had enough, he didn't want to pull out the big guns so soon but she had left him no choice. If he didn't find a way to get her to go back home now he had no doubt that she would slip right from under his nose again.

"If you don't come with me today then I'm suing you for custody."

Mercedes fumbling hands immediately stilled at Sam's cold words. She turned around slowly to look at him and if looks could kill then he would be a goner.

"What did you just say?" She hissed angrily at him.

"Come with me now, or the second that baby is born I'm suing you for full custody."

Mercedes anger started to melt away and was immediately replaced by a look of stark fear.

"You're lying, you wouldn't do that."

"After the hell you put me through...don't underestimate me, Mercedes." He said coldly.

"No court on earth would—"

"I have more money than you, I will hire better lawyers than you, and given your erratic behavior over the last few months I'm sure it would be a breeze to convince the judge that you're an unfit mother."

Mercedes' eyes instantly filled with tears and Sam felt like the worst kind of bastard but he refused to back down. He was getting her and their baby back to New York today by any and all means necessary.

"I will not be an unfit mother!" Mercedes voice shook with pent-up emotion, "how dare you even say something like that?"

"Why should I think differently? What have you done in the last three months that disproves that theory?"

"I've done the best that I can—"

"YOU RAN!" Sam shouted, "You left a stable job, a nice home, and all of your support based off of some bullshit that you didn't even bother to verify!"

"Bullshit? I don't call finding out that the man you loved knocked up his fiancé and lied about it just some 'bullshit' that I ran from."

Sam rubbed at the sudden blinding migraine that was pounding in his head. The last thing he wanted to do was fight with Mercedes but she was so damn frustrating and after all this time she still believed the lies that Stevie told her.

"Quinn's baby is not mine. There is no possible way it's mine."

"But I saw…I don't have time for this." Mercedes confused expression at Sam's words quickly evaporated into one of anger. She turned her attention back to the keys still stuck in the keyhole and this time she had success the in unlocking the door. She opened it but paused to look back at Sam.

"We can talk about the baby at a later date but as of right now I have nothing to say to you and I don't want to hear what you have to say."

Sam stared at Mercedes in disbelief. Did she really think that she was going to dismiss him as if he were nothing but a pest? She wasn't the only one upset and disillusioned by this whole mess and he would be damned before he let her try to form some force field around his child that he couldn't get through.

She walked through the front door but before she could close it behind her he slammed his palm against the door and forced his way in.

"Sam!" Mercedes yelled in shock, "you can't just force your way into this house!"

"Apparently I can," He replied smugly as he slammed the door behind him. "All the running and hiding is over with, we're both adults here Mercedes and it's about damn time you started acting like one."

"Go to hell, Sam." Mercedes spat out bitterly, "I don't want you here…I'm not ready…" Her voice broke and she turned her back to him.

Once upon a time the sight of seeing Mercedes so distressed would have brought Sam to his knees but now it only served to feed his anger even more. She brought this on herself and at this point he didn't have any more sympathy left to give.

"I don't care if you're ready or not Mercedes," he snapped harshly, "I wasn't ready for you to run off and leave me but that didn't seem to bother you at all."

Sam's anger only seemed to ignite Mercedes' as she spun back around on her heel and practically growled at him, "shouldn't you be back at the penthouse setting up the nursery for you and Quinn's bouncing baby boy? I figured you'd be excited that your American Dream was coming true."

"IT'S NOT MY BABY!" Sam roared, "What the hell is wrong with you? Are you so determined to hate me that you would believe the very worst thing about me without question?"

"You've been playing me practically the entire time I've known you!"

"Playing you…what the hell are you talking about?"

"Matt warned me and so did Kurt and I didn't listen."

"MATT? Are you fucking kidding me? Matt spent your entire 'relationship' trying to fuck you so he could get back at me for some bullshit that happened in college but you want to take his word over mine?"

"Was he wrong? He told me to stay away from you but I basically told him to fuck off because I could take care of myself. He dropped the issue but not before telling me not to be surprised by how all of this ended. Well, needless to say I'm not surprised to find out that you turned out to be a lying, heartless bastard."

"Unbelievable…" Sam laughed harshly, "I cannot believe this conversation right now."

"Why? Did you think just because you showed up on my doorstep I was going to fall all over myself and beg for your forgiveness? I left for a fucking reason and I'm not going to apologize for it! You may have played me for a fool but I'll be damned before I let you do that to an innocent baby. My baby is going to be loved and wanted and he or she isn't going to play second fiddle to some other—what the hell are you doing?"

Sam pulled his wallet out of his back pocket and snatched his driver's license out and thrust it into Mercedes' hands.

"What the hell am I supposed to do with this?"

"READ IT!" Sam shouted, "You talk about being played a fool and you're right you are a fool but it's not because of me."

Mercedes glared at Sam before glancing down at the small card in her hand.

EVANS, SAMUEL, J

"I don't…I don't understand…" Mercedes muttered quietly.

"James. My middle is name James. Samuel James Evans."

"Oh God…Oh God…Oh God…" Mercedes staggered back until her knees it the back of the couch and she sat down. "Quinn's baby, she said she wants it to have the same initials as his Daddy."

"Steven Edward Evans."

"Oh God…"

"Stevie fucked my ex-fiancé to get back at me but now the joke's on him because he got her knocked up."

Tears were spilling unchecked down Mercedes' face as she stared down at the small laminated card.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"When was I supposed to tell you, after you skipped town the first time or after you left your mother's house like a thief in the night?" He asked bitterly.

"We were together for over 6 fucking weeks Sam! At no point did you think it might be a good idea to mention that your brother knocked up the woman you were going to marry?"

"It wasn't any of your business!"

Mercedes recoiled back and her large brown eyes reflected her hurt.

"You knew what I thought…you knew I had issues with Quinn and you could have cleared it all up with one tiny explanation. None of this would have happened if you had been honest!"

"So this is my fault now? You run because you're a coward who can't be bothered to ask a simple fucking question but it's my fault? Maybe I should have told you about Quinn sooner but it wasn't my secret to tell. Quinn came to me for help because my worthless ass brother refused to claim their baby, and she thought I could talk some sense into him but he's too far gone to be reasoned with. She's in love with him. That 'American Dream' you keep bringing up? She wants that with him, not me."

"But Stevie told me…he told me that you were playing me. He said I was nothing more than just a challenge you needed to conquer before you settled down with Quinn. He said I couldn't compare—" Mercedes' voice cracked and Sam's heart broke for her. He was still angry enough to spit nails but the idea of his brother filling her head with terrible lies crushed him.

"My brother was pissed at me for not backing off the Quinn thing. He wanted to sweep the whole thing under the rug but I wouldn't let him so he decided to get at me through you. I'm truly sorry for whatever Stevie said, none of it was true and none of it was about you. Stevie has been holding on to a lot of hate and anger for years and unfortunately you caught the brunt of it. I'm sorry."

"I'm so stupid." Mercedes whispered softly, "I was so worried about you playing me that I was completely blindsided by your brother."

"You weren't the only one blindsided by Stevie. I knew he had issues but I never knew he could be so malicious."

Mercedes sat on the couch with a faraway look in her eyes. Sam sat in the love seat across from her and regarded her quietly. The minutes ticked by and the silence stretched until it was broken by Mercedes' small voice.

"My dad...my dad didn't want me."

Sam looked up in Mercedes in shock. The entire time they had been together she had never once mentioned her father. He gotten a little information about the man from Kurt and Marilyn but this was the first time Mercedes said a word about him.

"He was around when I was a baby but of course I don't remember that. The first memory I have of my Dad is from when I was eight. He showed up a couple of weeks before my birthday with this huge bouquet of balloons and a bag full of candy. My mom was not happy but I didn't care because my Daddy was there." Mercedes smiled softly but the faraway look didn't go away, "It became a running joke after that, my dad would always show up around my birthday but he'd never get the actual date right. Back then I thought he did it on purpose, ya know, to be funny...it wasn't until later that I figured out that he simply didn't care enough to figure out the real date.

Mercedes features darkened and big, fat tears started rolling down her cheeks.

"My mom would never admit it but I knew she was lonely. Whenever he would show up she would act pissed off but without fail within a few hours he would have her eating out of the palm of his hand. He would make us all these huge promises and he didn't keep a single one of them. The last one I remember was on our last Christmas together he gave my mom a ring. She thought it was an engagement ring but he told her that it was just a promise ring-a promise that he would be back soon and they would finally be together. I think she knew then that it was over but I foolishly still hung on to the idea that my mom and dad were finally going to get together." Mercedes shook her head from side to side as she laughed bitterly, "A few months later my 16th birthday rolled around and my dad surprised the hell out of me by actually showing up on the right day. He took me out to lunch and after we were done he handed me a check for a thousand bucks. He told me that it should be enough to take care of all the rest of my birthdays."

Mercedes voice broke and she buried her face in her hands. Sam reached forward to comfort her but pulled his hands back at the last moment, he didn't know how Mercedes would react to him touching her and he didn't want to upset her any more than she already was.

"He told me that I was a mistake," Mercedes choked out in a strangled voice, "he said that he tried for years to have a relationship with me but it was a waste of time. He said I was a great kid but no matter how hard he tried he couldn't see me as his child. He told me he that he liked me but he didn't love me."

"Oh wow..." Sam whispered in horror.

Mercedes continued on as if she didn't hear him, "He said the money would help with college or if I wanted to put a down payment on a car someday. He told me all of that as if he were doing me a favor. Can you believe that? He broke my heart-shattered it into a million pieces and he thought a thousand dollar check would make it better. I told him to go to hell and left the check sitting on the table."

"Was that the last time you talked to him?"

"No...I saw him again when I was 19. I had come back home from college and I was walking by the park. I looked up and there was my Dad with a woman and he was pushing this little girl on the swings. Something told me to keep on walking but foolishly I went over to talk to him. As soon as he saw me he stopped pushing the little girl and he rushed over to stop me. He told me that he would prefer it if I didn't interact with his family. I remember being so confused because I was his family."

"Mercedes..."

"The woman came over," Mercedes continued on, ignoring Sam, "she asked my dad what was going on. He told her that I was a friend's daughter and I was coming over to say hi. The woman introduced herself...her name was Traci and she was his wife. The little girl came bouncing over soon after and she was the cutest thing and she looked so much like me when I was that age. My dad bent over and I remember him scooping her up and kissing her and tickling her until she was literally screaming with laughter. He never did anything like that with me...ever. He never looked at me the way he looked at her. I remember him calling her baby girl and in that moment I realized he never had a nickname for me. He always just called me Mercedes, I was never sweetie or honey or baby-just Mercedes. I was never anything special to him, I was just a mistake he was stuck with until he found something better. I had been in denial for years after my 16th birthday. I just knew that he was going to come to his senses and realize what he was missing out on but it never happened. It didn't happen because he had his family and I was just a mistake from his past that was messing up his perfect life. I walked away and I never looked back...that was the last time I ever saw my father. I thought I was over it but it's obvious I'm not. The second I saw that sonogram and read that note it was like the park all over again only this time I didn't see myself I saw our child watching you and Quinn and your kid in the park and wondering why he or she wasn't invited."

"I'm not your father Mercedes."

"I know that, Sam."

"Do you? Because it seems like I'm paying for mistakes that he made." Sam tried to keep the anger out of his voice but it was so hard to do. He understood Mercedes' reaction to what she thought was true but that still didn't erase the fact that she jumped to conclusions because of something her father did.

"I panicked! When I read the note I freaked out because it was like all of my worst fears had come true, and then Stevie came in and drove the nail in the coffin."

"Stevie was playing you!"

"I know that now but I didn't know it back then! Stevie, for the most part, never gave me a reason to doubt him. You, on the other hand..."

"What?" Sam snapped, "What did I do that was so damn bad that you automatically jumped to the conclusion that I would deny my child."

"Nothing...there was nothing you did."

"Then what?" Sam whispered painfully, "I've been going out of my mind wondering what I did that was so bad that you couldn't even consider giving me a chance to defend myself?"

"It was everything-the sonogram, the note, your brother, Matt, Kurt...all the warnings, all the secrets, and all the half-truths. It was too much and I couldn't handle it so I ran. I wanted to be strong. I wanted to be stronger than my mother was. When I faced you again I wanted to be able to handle it when you told me that you were with Quinn and you were having a baby. I wanted to be strong enough to be gracious. I wanted to be strong enough so that when I had to raise this baby on my own I could do it. I wanted to be strong enough so that when you walked away I could handle it."

"So you found me guilty without giving me a single chance to defend myself?" Sam asked hoarsely. "You know, now that I think about it you're not too much different than your father."

"Excuse me?" Mercedes asked angrily, "I am nothing like that useless son of a bitch!"

"No? He cut you out of his life just like you were planning to cut me out."

"That isn't what I was doing Sam! I was just protecting myself and my baby-"

"OUR BABY!" Sam roared, "It's our baby, not just yours! You had no right to take our child away from me! Did you even intend on telling me? If I hadn't found out were you going to tell me? Ever?"

"Yes!"

"When?"

"I was going to tell you when the time was right."

"And when was that? When YOU decided? Why should I believe you?"

"I'm not the liar in this relationship." She hissed.

"No, but you are the coward."

Mercedes head snapped back and she gave Sam a glare that was filled with anger and hurt.

"I am not a coward. I did what was best for this baby."

"No, you did what was best for you. You just used that baby as an excuse."

"No, I didn't!"

"You have unresolved Daddy issues and you took it out on me."

"Shut up, Sam!" Mercedes screamed.

"You were so worried about being abandoned again that you ran before it could happen. You weren't thinking about anybody but yourself. You hurt me, Kurt, and your mother and you refuse to admit it."

"Please...stop." Mercedes choked out.

"No! You are going to hear this! What your dad did to you is fucked up and I wish I knew where he was so that I could personally go and kick his ass because he deserves it. I'm sorry this happened to you and if I could fix it I would. I know what it's like to carry bitterness around, I did it for years after what Quinn did. You won't ever be truly happy if you're constantly living in the past or waiting for somebody to screw you over in the future. I am not your father, I would never deny our child. I loved this baby when it was just an idea and I'm over the moon now that I know it's a reality. I know I'm not a perfect person but I promise I'll be the best Dad I can possibly be, but you gotta meet me halfway.

Mercedes face crumpled halfway through his speech and by the time he finished she was a blubbering mess.

"I'm so sorry!" She wailed, "you're right I was only looking out for myself...I didn't want to get hurt again. I was scared, I'm so sorry. I messed everything up."

Sam exhaled a whoosh of air as he got up from the love seat and went over to the couch and gathered Mercedes into his arms. They had a long way to go but he still felt as if they had finally knocked down the first-and biggest wall.

He rocked her back and forth until her sobs quieted down to soft sniffles. Mercedes started to rub her stomach in small circles and Sam watched the motion enviously. He wanted nothing more than to touch her belly but he didn't feel as if were the right time to ask.

"Do you want to feel?" Mercedes asked quietly.

"What? No...I mean, sure...it's...whatever you think."

Mercedes gave a short laugh and Sam couldn't help but smile in return. His grin got larger when she grabbed his large hand and placed it on her small bump.

"Wow..."He said huskily as tears sprang in his eyes, "that's incredible."

"Yeah, it is..." Mercedes smiled sweetly up at him and for a moment all the hurt, pain, and anger from the past 3 months melted away. His eyes drifted down until the rested on her full lips, he licked his own on a reflex and he heard her sharp intake of breath. He raised his eyes back to hers and he was met with the same hungry expression that he had seen so many times before. He leaned forward slightly and he could see her face tilting up to meet him. He was just about to close his eyes when he heard the unmistakable jingle of keys followed immediately by a loud voice.

"Well, I see the two of you worked out your issues pretty damn quick."

Mercedes jerked back guiltily and she scurried out of Sam's arms at the sound of her roommate's voice. She looked around in confusion at Sam's slightly amused expression and Santana's smug one.

"Wait, hold up, how do you know who he is?"

"It could be a lucky guess?" Santana said evasively.

"Oh."

"Or it could be because I invited him here and gave him the address."

"WHAT? You called him? How...wha...how do you even know who he is? I never told you his name!"

"Calm down Mercy, I didn't rat you out. Boy Wonder over here got in touch with me, and after hearing the story I had to help."

"I don't understand...that doesn't make any sense." Mercedes turned her attention to Sam. "How in the hell did you find me?"

Sam gave Mercedes a sly smile before turning to Santana and saying, "Did you happen to get what we talked about?"

"Yep." Santana walked out the front door and came back in with a stack of flattened boxes under her arm and a roll of packing tape in her hand.

Sam walked over to her and grabbed the material from her before turning back to look at Mercedes.

"I'll tell you the whole long story on the road."

"The road?"

"Yep, I wasn't joking around before Mercedes. We may have had a good talk but my feelings about the situation haven't changed. We are going back home as soon as possible, so here..."

Sam leaned the boxes up against the arm of the couch before unfolding one of them and taping the bottom.

"Whatever you can fit in these boxes we'll take but everything else Santana has graciously offered to ship to New York."

"Sam I can't just leave, I have a job and I need to give notice-"

"It's not like you haven't done it before-"

"It's already taken care of," Santana interrupted, glaring at them both, "I talked to my friend and she said they have someone who can start immediately. You are free to go Mercedes and I think you should."

Mercedes looked back and forth between Sam and Santana before slowly nodding her head.

"Okay."

Sam let out an audible sigh of relief and Santana went forward and hugged her friend. She whispered something in Mercedes' ear that he couldn't hear but whatever it was it seemed to brighten Mercedes spirits a bit.

Sam handed the box to Mercedes as headed towards what he assumed was her room.

"Do you need any help?"

"No, this shouldn't take very long I don't have very many things here. Most of my stuff is in storage in New York and the rest is still at my mom's."

Sam gave a small noncommittal nod but he didn't say anything because he wasn't sure how Mercedes would react when she found out her things weren't in either of the places that she thought they were.

Sam watched as Mercedes walked in her room before turning to see Santana's brown eyes regarding him coolly.

"You didn't tell her did you?"

"Tell her what?"

"Don't play dumb with me Blondie, she doesn't know does she? She has no idea what to expect when she gets to New York."

"Nope."

"You're one sneaky bastard, you know that Sam Evans?"

Sam gave Santana smug smile before saying, "Well my dad always told me that you fight fire with fire. Mercedes didn't play fair so now I won't either."


	25. Road Trip

"Do you hate me?"

Sam looked over at Mercedes in surprise, they had been on the road for almost three hours and those were the first words that she had said to him. She had been withdrawn all morning to the point of almost being sullen and it was clear from her pinched expression and red eyes she didn't get much sleep the night before. That morning after a tearful goodbye to Santana she had gotten in the passenger seat of her car and turned her face towards the window and she hadn't turned it away since. Until now.

"Do you hate me?" She asked again but this time her voice was thick with tears. "I know I deserve it after everything I've done..."

"I don't hate you Mercedes, but I am mad at you. There are times I'm so mad at you that I can barely see straight."

Mercedes visibly shrank in her seat and bright unshed tears shone in her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Sam."

"I know that but it still doesn't change what you've put me through...what you've put all of us through. I don't want to upset you but do you realize how much you hurt the people that love you the most?"

"No, I didn't think about it, I refused to think about it. There was a part of me-a big part, that knew there was a really good chance I was wrong but I would always ignore it. I couldn't let myself think about what I was doing to others because the guilt would crush me. You were right, I was a coward." Tears rolled down Mercedes cheeks and as she whispered the last part quietly.

"I didn't say that to upset you—"

"I know," Mercedes nodded, "you don't have to explain yourself, you had every right to say what you did."

"About some of it, maybe, but not all of it…I'm sorry about the whole custody thing."

"Did you mean it? If I hadn't come back with you would you have sued me for custody?"

"Honestly? I don't know. When I said it I was so mad that yeah…I think I meant it, but whether or not I would have ever been able to go through with it remains to be seen."

"Oh." Mercedes gave him a long look that he couldn't read before turning to look out the window once again.

Sam bit back a heavy sigh as he spared a quick glance at the back of Mercedes' head. The whole purpose of this trip was for them to talk but they couldn't do that if she shut down every five minutes. Sam wanted them to get all of their shit straight before they got to New York because he knew that once Mercedes saw what was in store for her there she wouldn't be in any mood to talk.

The need to push her into a conversation was strong but he thought better of it. They had many miles to travel and he knew that Mercedes couldn't keep up the silent treatment for too long. So he would wait.

And he did.

Several hours later as they were passing the border into Savannah, Georgia Mercedes finally spoke up again, "How did you find me? You said we would talk about it on the trip."

"You really want to talk about it?"

"Yeah...I mean, I'm curious but you don't have to if you don't want to."

"No, we should get everything out in the open, so I'll tell you. But I can't just tell you how I found you, I have to start from the beginning...

12 Weeks Ago

I had been four days.

No, wait.

Five.

It had been five days since his world had crashed around him. Sam lifted his bleary head from his kitchen counter and flexed his still sore right hand. The fading pain was one of the few constant reminder s he had of all that he had lost. The woman that he loved was gone and she had taken their child with him. He had pursued every meager lead he had to no avail. Even in his alcohol addled state Sam could still recognize the irony in this whole situation. He and Mercedes had literally spent every waking moment together for six weeks and they had talked about all kinds of things—except for the important stuff. He knew she used to live in Ohio, but he didn't know what town. He knew she grew up with a single mother but he didn't know her name or the name of Mercedes' father. He knew that her best friend was Kurt, and she was good friends with Emma, however other than that he had no clue. He dreamed about marrying this woman and yet he hardly knew a thing about her. How did that even happen? The only thing Sam could think of was that they thought they had time. There was no need to cram the small details in every conversation because they would get to them later, because they had time.

Except they didn't.

Sam pushed angrily away from the kitchen counter and stumbled towards his living room. He had no idea what time it was but it dark outside so he figured it was as good as a time as any to try and get some rest. Once he reached his sofa he flopped down on it and prayed for sleep to overtake him. His wish was granted but less than an hour later the shrill ring from his cell phone in his pocket jarred him from his restless slumber.

"WHAT?" He barked angrily into the phone.

"Um...hello?" A small voice that Sam didn't recognize came through the phone, "is this Sam Evans."

"Who is this?"

"Marilyn...Marilyn Jones."

At the mention of the last name Sam popped up into an upright position and closed his eyes to the sudden dizziness that overtook him.

"Hello? Are you there?"

"Yes!" Sam practically yelled and he cringed at how loud his voice came out. "Yes, I'm here." He said quietly.

"I'm sorry to bother you—"

"You're not, not at all. You're Mercedes' mom, right?"

"Yes."

"Have you—do you know where she is?" Sam asked desperately.

"Yes. She's here with me."

Sam released a breath that he felt like he had been holding for the last five days as he laid his head back against the couch in relief.

"Is she okay? Is the baby—" Sam's voice cut off because he couldn't voice the one fear that had been plaguing him since he found out she ran off.

"She's not okay. She's been holed up in her old bedroom for days. As far as the baby goes, there is still one if that is what you were wondering."

Sam's eyes pricked with tears of relief because it felt as if a 1000 pound weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

"Sam, are you still there?"

"Yes," he choked out, "pardon me for asking but how did you get this number?"

"Kurt. I called him to find out what was happening since Mercedes wasn't talking and he basically told me everything. Sam...I'm so sorry."

Sam was shell shocked after what Marilyn said. Of all the things he expected her apologizing to him was the last thing.

"Why are you apologizing to me, shouldn't I be the one apologizing for this mess?"

"No...I'm apologizing for my daughter. I spoke with Kurt and I'm getting the impression that she made a very rash decision."

"What did she have to say?"

"Not much, most of what I got about the story was from Kurt. He was the one that gave me your number."

"Kurt told you to contact me?" Sam asked in surprise, "I was sure he hated me."

"He had his reservations...he still does in some respects but he said that given what he knows about the situation he knew that Mercedes was making the wrong decision by running away. I agree with him 100%."

Sam was struck speechless. The last thing he ever expected was for Kurt to help him out in any way after what he had said to him the day Mercedes left.

"I don't know what to say—"

"Say you'll come here and work things out with my daughter. If this was just between the two of you I would stay out of it but this involves my grandchild. I want him or her to have the best life possible surrounded by as much love as possible and I'm sure you'll agree."

"I do."

"Good. You and Mercedes need to get this misunderstanding sorted out as soon as possible. Regardless to what you're personal relationship is when it's all said and done you both still need to be on the same page when it comes to this baby."

"I agree. I had every intention of talking about Mercedes about all of this but she took off before I got the chance."

"I know, I know, Mercedes can be very stubborn sometimes."

"She most defintely can be that." Sam laughed lightly, "I don't want to force this on her though, if I push she'll just push back. However, I do want to talk to her because I think it will be the best thing to get us started on the right path."

"Yes, I know this is for the best and I'm sure she knows it too, she just doesn't want to admit it. So, how soon can you be here?"

Sam was a bit taken aback at the eagerness in Marilyn's voice but his heart was warmed by it. It was nice to feel that he finally had somebody on his side.

"Tomorrow, is that too soon?"

"Tomorrow? That would be perfect."

"Are you going to tell Mercedes that I'm coming?"

"No, I think it's best if we don't tell you're coming—"

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Sam interrupted worriedly "I think ambushing her will just make her really mad."

"Oh yes, she'll definitely be mad—"

"Then maybe you should let her know I'm coming."

"No...no, don't worry about it."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure. She needs to know the truth and she'll only believe it coming from you."

"Okay, if you're sure..."

"I'm sure honey, don't worry about it. I want what's best for my grandchild."

"I want that too, I just don't want Mercedes angrier at me than she already is."

"I understand, but I think it will be okay." Marilyn said kindly before switching gears and asking if he were ready for the address.

Sam grabbed a pen and pad from the side table and he got in position to write down Marilyn's address. As he waited for her to start speaking he looked down and noticed his fingers trembling slightly.

"I'm ready," he said somewhat shakily.

"Okay, it's 5151 Spartan Way, Lima Ohio—"

Sam scribbled quickly but he was brought up short when he heard Marilyn cut off suddenly. He was about to ask if everything was okay but he was rendered momentarily speechless by an achingly familiar voice on the line.

"Who is this?"

Sam was surprised by the vehemence in Mercedes' tone. He knew she was angry and confused but she sounded like she hated whoever was on the other end of the phone.

"Mercedes, this is Sam. Baby, you need to listen to-"

Click.

Sam sighed heavily before pulling the silent phone from his ear. There had been a part of him that was still holding out hope that Mercedes would calm down and come back to New York and talk things out with him but it had just died a quick, fiery death with the click of the phone. Mercedes was angry, hurt, and stubborn and in this situation it was a very dangerous combination. Even though the idea was disheartening for the first time in five days Sam had his first sign of hope. With a slight smile Sam picked up his cell phone again and scrolled through his contacts until he found the name of his travel agent.

"Mary? Sam Evans here, I need you to do me a massive favor. I need a flight tonight."

"Ok, sir!" Came the excited voice on the other line, "where to this time? Barbados, Paris, London?"

"Ohio."

"Ohi—I'm sorry sir, I think I misunderstood you. Where do you need a flight to?"

"Ohio. Lima, Ohio, to be exact but since I know they don't have an airport there I need you to get me as close as humanly possible."

"Uh...okay, sir. And how fast did you say you needed this booked?"

"Immediately. I have to be in Lima as soon as possible."

"Ok, Mr. Evans, I'll see what I can do."

PRESENT DAY

"She somehow managed to squeeze me on a flight to Dayton at the very last minute. I barely had time to get to the airpor. I rented a car and ignored every speed limit sign posted. I'm still surprised I didn't get stopped. I made it to your mom's in the wee hours of the morning but I knew the second I saw her face that I missed you. She was devastated."

Mercedes wiped at the tears slowly trickling down her face as she listened to Sam finish his story.

"I stayed with her for a few days hoping that maybe you'd call and give a hint to where you had gone to next but you never did. Finally I decided to come back home and wait."

Sam glanced over at Mercedes again and his heart clenched painfully at the tortured expression on her face. Telling the story was hard for him and he figured it was ten times worse for her to hear about the pain and sadness she left in her wake.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, "I feel like I can say it a thousand times and it still won't be enough."

"It's just all so fresh, Mercedes. You have to give it time."

"I know," she sniffled, "but the things I said to my Mom—I hurt her, and no amount of time is going to change that!"

Sam opened his mouth to speak but he didn't really know what to say. He didn't know all the details but he had a pretty firm understanding of what went down between Mercedes and her mother before she left may never be fully resolved. The love was still there without a doubt, but there was also an underlying bitterness on both sides that would only fester if it were ignored.

"You two have to talk—about everything. You held on to your issues about your Dad for years, Mercedes. Your mom was completely blindsided by the whole thing! She kept some semblance of a relationship with your dad for you, not for her. She hated him, but you idolized him so she put up with him coming in and out of your life. She didn't want you to hate her for keeping you away from your father."

"I thought..." Mercedes began weakly.

"She knows what you thought and I do too." He snapped as he could feel that old anger start to rise in his chest again, "did you really think I would have done that to you and our baby? Even if what you thought about me and Quinn was true did you really have such a low opinion of me that you would think I would completely disregard my child?"

"I...I...no, I don't have a low opinion of you...but at the time...I don't know..." she finished pathetically.

Sam shook his head angrily as he scanned the access road they were on in search of a suitable hotel to stay for the night. They had made it into South Carolina and Sam was tired—bone tired. He probably could have driven a couple more hours but the stress of the reliving the old memories of Mercedes had taken its toll. He spotted a Radisson and breathed a sigh of relief internally.

"Is this okay for the night?" He asked as he slowed down to turn into the parking lot.

"Yeah, it's fine."

Sam pulled up to the valet and quickly handed his keys off to the attendant. He went into the trunk and grabbed his small carry-on and one of Mercedes' suitcases. Once inside he stepped up to the counter and asked for two rooms with king beds next to each other."

"Ummmm..."

"Yes?" Sam snapped impatiently.

"Sir, there is a large convention in town this week and—"

"And you're fully booked?"

"No, but I don't think I'll be able to get you two rooms right next to each other. I can do two rooms on separate floors—"

"No!" Sam said loudly before he could stop himself. Even though Mercedes knew the whole story there was still a part of him that didn't trust her not to leave at the first opportunity. He knew that being next door didn't guarantee he would know if she did decide to leave but he felt better about than her being an entire floor away from him.

The woman behind the counter gave him a strange look before turning her attention back to her computer and he could feel Mercedes' eyes burning a hole in the back of his head.

"I apologize Sir, but it appears all we have available are rooms with single King beds but none of them are on the same floor."

"Do you have any rooms with two Queens?"

"No, sir, only single kings. We have another Radisson in town that might be able to fulfill your request. If you wait just one moment I can contact—"

"There's no need." Mercedes interrupted, "we'll take one of the rooms with the king bed."

The woman behind the counter looked to Sam for confirmation and he nodded slightly. He turned towards Mercedes and said, "Are you sure?"

"We've slept in the same bed before Sam, it's not that big of a deal...at least not to me."

Sam finally noticed the slight sheen to Mercedes' eyes and he cursed under his breath. He had hurt her feelings and regardless of his own anger it was the last thing he wanted to do. This road trip was proving to not be the great idea he once thought it was.

"Mercedes, I didn't mean—"

"It's not a big deal," she cut him off, "I get it and I don't blame you."

"Mercedes—"

"She's waiting on your credit card." She said coolly before turning her back and walking towards a couch to sit down.

Sam sighed heavily for about the millionth time that day before reaching into his wallet and pulling out his black American Express card. The woman's eyes widened slightly before a bright smile crossed her face,

"Welcome to the Radisson, Mr. Evans!"

An hour and half later after they had both showered, changed and ate a light dinner from room service they sat on the bed facing each other. Sam's back was against the headboard and Mercedes sat across from him with her legs crossed. She picked at the hem of an old college t-shirt of Sam's that had seen better days. Even through all the anger and feeling of betrayal is still warmed his heart a little bit to see Mercedes lounging in his clothes.

"Is it wrong that I hate your brother?" Mercedes asked quietly.

Sam raised his eyebrows at her question because it was the last thing he ever expected to hear.

"I mean...I guess I don't hate him hate him, but just thinking about him makes me so angry. I know ultimately the decisions I made are mine alone but...if he hadn't been there, if he hadn't said those things...I wouldn't have left."

Sam tried to tamp down his ever present anger with Mercedes' announcement. He always believed it was true to actually hear Mercedes confirm it had that always bubbling rage trying to fight it's way to the surface.

"Why wouldn't you just talk to me?" He asked through clenched teeth. "One phone call, Mercedes. One fucking phone call! I would have explained everything! Every question you had I would have answered it!"

"I'm sorry Sam! I was upset and—"

"That's not an excuse!"

"You're right," Mercedes said quietly, "you're right and I was wrong. I'm sorry."

Sam gazed at Mercedes bowed head and he felt some of his anger drain away. He was tired of fighting, he was tired of being mad all the time. He wanted things to be normal again. He wanted the most stressful thing in his life to be picking out at color for the nursery or worrying about which parenting books he should read before the baby gets here. He was done with being miserable but until he and Mercedes got all of their skeletons out of the closet, miserable is exactly what they would be.

"You don't have to worry about Stevie anymore...or Quinn for that matter." Sam said after a long stretch of silence.

"Why is that?"

"Well..."

10 WEEKS AGO

"Um, Mr. Evans? You have two visitors here to see you."

Sam lifted his head from his desk and stared angrily and the offensive black box that had the offensive, nasally voice coming out of it.

"So?"

"Can...can I send them in?"

"Pam? It's Pam right?"

"Uh..no, actually I'm Sarah, Pam was here yesterday I believe."

"Why is she not here today?"

"Um...if I'm not mistaken I think you fired her, sir."

Sam racked his brain but he couldn't remember firing Pam but then again he could barely recall what Pam even looked like so he figured anything was possible.

"Fine, whatever just send them in. And go get me some coffee."

"How do you like it, sir?"

Sam clenched his teeth as he reined in the urge to scream at his worthless and apparently new assistant. Pam or Sarah or whatever-her-name-was not knowing the way he liked his coffee just reminded him of someone that did and thinking of her was something he tried to avoid at all costs nowadays.

"Just plain black. Can you handle that?"

"Yes, sir" came the slightly choked response.

Sam rolled his eyes and cursed under his breath. He really didn't know why he bothered anymore. He grimaced at the sudden pounding in his head and searched in the top drawers of his desk for some aspirin. The way his day had gone so far he figured there was no way in hell it could possibly get any worse.

He was dead wrong.

A few seconds after locating a bottle of aspirin in his desk Sam looked up to find his brother strolling into his office hand and hand with Quinn Fabray.

Sam stared in shock as aspirin after aspirin rolled out of the open bottle and onto his hand. Despite the numbness spreading through his body he could feel the small tap of ever pill that bounced off his hand before hitting his desk.

"Sam!" Quinn called out worriedly, "you're pouring pills out everywhere! Are you okay?"

Quinn's shrill voice knocked Sam out of his numb state and he stared at her in disbelief, "am I okay? Am I fucking okay? How can you ask me that?"

"Whoa, don't speak to my wife like that." Stevie barked out.

"I'm sorry, your who?"

"His wife!" Quinn smiled widely as she waved her left hand in Sam's shocked face. "I know it's all sudden but Stevie showed up on my doorstep a week ago and told me that he had seen the error of is ways and he had you to thank for it. He told me that he loved me and our baby and he wanted us to be a family! We flew out to Vegas that night and we were married. I know it's all fast but this baby is coming soon, I was pushing it flying while I was this far along but it was worth it! We're going to be a little family soon and we have you to thank for it. I can't tell you how much it means to me that we have your blessing."

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Sam growled. "How can you be so stupid?"

"Wha—" Quinn squawked out in surprise, "what do you mean?"

"In what world would I ever give the two of you my blessing?"

"But Stevie said—"

"STEVIE FUCKING LIED TO YOU!" Sam roared.

"Watch it Sam,"

"Shut the fuck up Stevie...I can't believe you. I knew you were low but this even low for you."

"What is he talking about Stevie?" Quinn asked suspiciously.

"What? He didn't tell you?" Sam asked tauntingly, "I cut Stevie off, he doesn't get shit except for the little bit of money he earned for sporadically working at Evans and Evans."

"No, he didn't tell me but it doesn't matter because I have money so we'll be okay."

"Exactly, idiot. I cut Stevie off two weeks ago, and suddenly a week later he has a complete change of heart and decides he wants to live happily ever after with you?"

"It's possible—"

"It is not possible! Let me guess, after what I'm sure was an epically romantic proposal he decided to whisk you off to Vegas so that you could be married immediately, right?"

"Right...so?"

"So, no prenup right?"

"Right..." Quinn's voice trailed off as the point Sam was trying to make finally sank in. She turned hurt, begging eyes to Stevie and Sam prayed that for once his brother would grow a pair and do the right thing.

"Don't listen to him baby," Stevie said to Quinn in a soothing voice, "I did have a change of heart but it wasn't because of the money. I want a family...I want it with you. I'm tired of being alone. I want to share my life with you and this baby and all the babies we have in the future."

Sam watched in disbelief as the angry glint melted from Quinn's gaze as she listened to Stevie's contrived words.

"You have got to be fucking kidding me!" Sam shouted, "how can you be this fucking gullible, Quinn?"

"I'm sorry that this hurts you, I know seeing me and Stevie happy together might be hard for you considering what happened between you and Mercedes."

"Shut up." Sam said in a low, dangerous voice. "Not one word, I don't want to hear a fucking word either of you have to say about Mercedes. I wouldn't have been in this fucking situation if it had been for the two of you!"

Quinn's eyes shone brightly with tears and she looked up at Sam with a pleading look in her face that he remembered so well.

"Please don't be like this, I want our son to know his uncle, please don't turn your back on him." Sam considered relenting but Quinn's next words had him seeing red. "Besides, given the circumstances there is no telling when you will see your own child, so being around our baby could be a good thing—"

"GET OUT!"

Quinn jumped at Sam's bellow and she looked at Stevie with wide, frightened eyes, "Get the fuck out of my office and out of my life! I don't care if I see either of you ever again. If you're dumb enough to actually believe that Stevie loves you or that baby Quinn they you deserve whatever you have coming. The only thing I can hope for at this point is that your child somehow doesn't turn out like either one of you."

Quinn blinked rapidly before spinning on her heel and leaving Sam's office without another word. Stevie stood in the doorway and gave his brother one long look before giving him a slow, smug smile.

"Have a nice life bro. Give Mercedes my love...oh wait, you can't can you?

"Fuck off, Stevie."

Stevie's blue eyes held his brother's green eyes a moment longer before he gave a two-finger salute and walked out the door.

PRESENT DAY

"I haven't seen or heard from either one of them since."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be, I'm not. Stevie and Quinn have been poison in my life for years, I'm glad to be rid of them."

"Yeah, but poison or not, he's still your brother and she's carrying your nephew."

"That's the only hard part, I hate knowing that I'll probably never know my nephew but if it means never having to see his parents again then it's worth it. I know that's horrible to say, but I can't—I can't have those two in my life or my child's life."

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For proving to me over and over again that you're a better man than my father ever was. He would have never done that for me."

"I promise I'll never stop doing that."

Mercedes smile sweetly at him before crawling forward and getting under the pulled down covers. Sam made sure they had a respectable distance between them before telling Mercedes good night and lying down. Sam listened to Mercedes soft breathing even out and within minutes he had fallen into a deep sleep.

The next morning Sam woke to find the bed empty beside him. He spread his arm to the spot beside him and found the sheets were cool. He jumped up in a panic and looked around wildly. He looked on the bedside table to find his cell phone and wallet but the keys were gone. He grabbed his pants and jerked them on over his boxers before rushing towards the door. He reached to grab the door handle but had to step back quickly instead to avoid being hit in the face with the door.

"Oh!" Mercedes yelped in surprise when she saw Sam standing in the doorway, "what are you doing?" she asked laughing nervously.

"Where have you been?" Sam asked in a loud, shaky voice.

The smile on Mercedes' face disappeared as she stared at Sam's crazed look. She held up a white bag with IHOP written on the side.

"I woke up craving pancakes and I didn't want to wake you up because I knew you were tired from driving all day yesterday. We drove past an IHOP on our way here yesterday so I figured I'd just run over and pick us up something so we could eat here. I've only been gone for about half an hour." She finished quietly.

"I'm sorry, I just thought..."

"I know what you thought. It's okay, I deserve it."

"Mercedes—"

"It's okay," she said in a tone that clearly meant that subject was closed. "I got you that chicken fajita omelet you like so much."

"Thank you."

Mercedes nodded slightly before turning her attention to the food. Sam opened his mouth to speak but he thought better of it. The day had barely started and already they were off to the wrong foot. As Sam accepted the warm Styrofoam container that held his food he hoped that their day would get better instead of worse.

An hour and half later they were back on the road and Sam decided that in order to get things right between them they had to keep talking. Since things had started off a little rocky between them Sam decided to start with something relatively safe.

"So, have you thought of any baby names yet?"

Mercedes seemed a little shocked that he was talking to her but it quickly gave way to a small smile. "Yeah, I've thought of a couple girl names."

"You think it's going to be a girl?"

"I'm not sure but girl's names just came easy to me. Besides when I thought of boy's name all I could think of was..." She trailed off.

"What?"

"Quinn's sonogram. I used to have dreams about asking you what you thought for a boy's name and you'd always suggest Sean Elijah Evans so it would have initials just like his daddy." She shuddered slightly, "Needless to say I couldn't unsee it so I was never able to think of a boy's name."

"Well, we'll think of something, okay?"

"Okay."

"Sooooo...what girl's names do you have?"

"Well, two so far that I really like. First one is Aundrea."

"That's nice."

"And the second one is Gabrielle."

Sam's face blanched at the name but he quickly tried to recover, "hmmm" he murmured noncommittally.

"Hmmm? What, you don't like it?"

"It's not that I don't like it, it's just it reminds me of someone."

"Who?"

"You remember Matt , right?"

"Yes." Mercedes grimaced, "How could I forget Cryptic Matt?"

"Well..."

6 WEEKS AGO

"Mr. Evans you have a visitor that would like to see you."

"Oh, for fuck's sake!" Sam yelled, "Alicia, who is it?"

"Uh, my name is Allison and the man says he's an old friend of yours but he won't give me his name. Should I call security?"

"No...just let him in." He murmured tiredly. Sam put his face in his hands and rubbed his hands over the 3-day old scruff that was on his face. He knew he needed to shave but he couldn't bring himself to care enough to do it. He knew he needed to do a lot of things but the motivation simply wasn't there.

The door to his office swung open and he groaned loudly when he saw who walked through the door.

"Well, you look like shit Evans."

"I'm not in the mood to deal with you today, Matt. We can play your little mind games some other time, but not today."

"I didn't come here to have a girl talk with you Sam, I came to see."

"Came to see what?"

"I recently spoke with your brother, congrats on the new sister-in-law by the way, and he told me that you were currently scraping rock bottom and I just had to come see it for myself."

"If you came to gloat about Stevie being with Quinn, then you're a day late and a dollar short as usual because I couldn't give a damn about them being together."

"Though I did get quite a laugh at how that went down, no, that's not why I'm here to gloat—not about that anyway."

"Then what?"

"How's Mercedes?"

"Don't." Sam snapped, "not today, not about her."

"What's the matter Sam, don't like having someone ripped away from you because of somebody else's carelessness? Sucks, doesn't it. It fucking hurts, doesn't it?"

"What the fuck are you talking about?"

"Mercedes was smart, I'll give her that," Matt continued on as if he hadn't heard Sam, "I thought for sure she would be dumb enough to fall for your bullshit and stick around, but she didn't. Good for her."

"What do you want, Matt?"

"I wanted to see it...no, I needed to see you at your lowest. For years I have waited for the day, waited for the day you realized how much it hurt to lose the person you love the most. I always wanted to be the one that brought you to this place but ironically enough Stevie beat me to it. But considering how much you fucked his life up I guess it's only fair that he got to be the one to do it. I guess I'll just have to be content with seeing how far you've fallen. It's a beautiful sight, I must say."

"Fuck off, Matt. What in the hell have I ever done to you that was so bad that you feel the need to revel in my misery?"

"Gabrielle," Matt hissed, "do you even fucking remember?"

"Gaby? From college? We messed around for a bit, but it was nothing seriou—wait, she's what this is about?" Sam gave a harsh laugh, "so basically you've been holding on to a grudge for years over nothing?"

"She was not nothing! Just because she didn't mean shit to you doesn't mean anything. She was everything to me!"

"And your were less than nothing to her." Sam said cruelly, "you think she didn't know about your little infatuation? You couldn't have been more obvious if you tried. She wasn't interested. Get that through your thick fucking skull. She. Didn't. Want. You."

"You're lying."

"You wish. Yeah, me and Gaby screwed around but it was a mutual thing and once it was over we parted ways amicably. She left town because she got a great job offer. She didn't go running into your arms because one, there was no reason to and two because she wasn't fucking interested. There was no torrid affair and nobody got tossed to the side. We were two adults, who were attracted to each other and we made a consensual decision to have a sexual relationship. The end. The rest of it you made up in your head as some way to feel justified in hating me for getting something that you couldn't."

"I don't give a fuck what you say, it still doesn't change the fact that you're a heartless bastard. You knew how I felt about Gabrielle and instead of being a good friend you completely disregarded my feelings and went after her anyway."

"Boo-fucking-hoo, Matt. She was a grown ass woman and she made a decision."

"Like Mercedes?" Matt asked coldly.

"Shut the fuck up."

"What? You can dish it out but you can't take it, huh? Mercedes deserves better than you and I'm glad she got away. I hope for her sake she has enough sense to never come back."

Sam's heart clenched painfully at the words and he raised dull eyes up to Matt's.

"Get your pathetic ass out of my office. I sincerely hope I never see you again."

"Likewise."

PRESENT DAY

"So that's a no on Gabrielle?" Mercedes deadpanned.

"Yeah..." Sam responded with a laugh.

"I would tell you that I'm sorry about your friend, but I'm really not. Matt was nothing but trouble, clearly. I mean, who holds a grudge that long over nothing?"

"Beats me. I'm just glad it's out in the open. I was so sick of trying to figure out what imaginary wrong I committed against him. With the way he was acting I was actually worried for a minute that I had actually done something to him."

"I will miss his riddles though..."

"Yeah, me too."

For the first time in days the interior of the tiny car rang with laughter.

A couple hours later after a quick lunch at a tiny diner Sam decided to bring up the subject of baby names again.

"So, we have no boy's names, and Gabrielle is out so that just leaves with one name for our child?"

"So far? Yes. I'll admit I suck at this whole name thing, but if you have a suggestion I would love to hear it."

"As a matter of fact I do."

"Really? Boy or girl?"

"Girl."

"Before you even say anything, please tell me it's not the name of girl you messed around with in the past?"

"No!" Sam said, slightly offended, "I would not name my daughter after some random woman I screwed around with.

"Good...just checking. So, what is it?"

"Lilliana."

"Lilliana? I actually really like that. Where did it come from?"

"My mother."

2 WEEKS AGO

LILY ANN EVANS

LOVING WIFE AND MOTHER

THE WIND BENEATH OUR WINGS

Sam stared down at his mother's tombstone with bright tears shining in his eyes. The last time he had been to this grave was when his father was being laid to rest next to her. He spared a glance at the large granite tombstone that was at the head of his father's grave before turning his attention back to his mother's smaller, more demure one. He bent over and laid down the bouquet of lilies on his mother grave. They were her favorite flower and he smiled thinking about how she would always say, "My name is Lily so it would be a crime against nature for lilies not to be my favorite flower."

Once Sam carefully placed the flowers on the grave he brought his right hand up to the tombstone and rubbed his finger gently across the name.

"Hey mom," he said in a choked voice, "Um...I know it's been a long time but I...damn it." Sam muttered as he found it difficult to get the words past his tight throat. "I don't have any excuse for not coming but I just...I hate coming here and being reminded that you're gone. That I can't talk to you, or see your face, or hear your voice. I need you...I need your help. I need you to tell me it's going to be okay. I miss you...I miss her..."His voice cracked, "I fell in love, can you believe that? You would really like her, she reminds me of you so much. She got this amazing smile and laugh, and she's got this great spirit...at least she did before all this broke her. I want to hate her, it would make my life so much easier if I could but I can't. She's pregnant...I'm going to be a Dad, can you believe that?" He asked again, "I remember how you used to talk about wanting grandkids, well now you've got two coming. I really wish you were here to meet them. I just wish you were here, period. Everything started falling apart after you died and it hasn't been stopped since. It's just been one thing after the other." He sighed heavily before looking around at all the tombstones surrounding him. "I hate this! I need to see your face and hear your voice. I need you!" He lashed out angrily, "I need some guidance, I need to figure out how to fix this. Help me, mom...I don't know where else to turn to. How can I fix this? I don't know where she is! I don't know where my baby is! I don't even know if there is a baby anymore." He finished sadly.

Sam rubbed at his tired eyes roughly. "I know I screwed up but do I really deserve this? I think about her all the time, I worry about her the time. I worry about her all day, every day. I can't sleep, I can't eat. Being without her...it's killing me."

Sam sat down heavily on his mother's grave and stared intently at his mother's grave. "I need help mom," he whispered, "Please help me."

Sam pulled his knees up and laid his head down on them. He didn't know how long he sat there but it wasn't too long before he heard a timid, "Sam?"

Sam looked up to find his former red-headed assistant weighed down with two huge bouquets of flowers and watching him quizzically.

"What are you doing here Sam? I thought you didn't come here?"

"I don't but I needed a little adivce." He gave Emma a small crooked smile.

She gave him a gentle smile back before asking, "did you get what you needed?"

His smile quickly evaporated, "No, this was stupid," he said gruffly, "what can my dead mother possibly tell me about my pregnant girlfriend leaving me?"

"Wait...what? Mercedes? Mercedes is pregnant? How far? When? It's yours?" Emma sputtered out.

"Yes, she's pregnant. Yes, it's mine and she's only a couple of months."

"Oh my God!" Emma squealed happily before launching herself in Sam's arms, he hugged her back and couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm.

"I knew it! I knew it! I knew when I saw the two of you together at the hospital that you had something special! Where is she so I can congratulate her?"

Sam's features immediately tightened at Emma's question but she didn't see it because she was too busy scanning the graveyard as if she expected Mercedes to pop up from behind a tombstone.

"I don't know," Sam answered gruffly forcing Emma's perusal of the graveyard to stop.

"What do you mean you don't know? You mean right now?"

"No, Emma not just right now. I haven't known where Mercedes has been for the last 2 months."

Emma's mouth gaped open and her already impossibly big eyes got even bigger.

"What happened?"

"Quinn...Stevie...Me..."

"Quinn? Quinn Fabray? What does she have to do with anything?"

"She's pregnant and Stevie's the father."

"WHAT?" Emma screeched and Sam looked around and felt the overwhelming need to shush Emma for disturbing the dead.

"Quinn and Stevie? Your ex-fiancé and your brother?"

"Emma, calm down and quit screaming!"

"Calm down? How can I possibly calm down? Wait—wait a minute, why are you so calm?"

"I've had time to come to peace with it, besides I have bigger things to worry about."

"Like Mercedes?"

"Like Mercedes."

"What does Quinn and Stevie getting together," Emma shudders as she says their names, "have to do with Mercedes?"

"Long story short, it was one big clusterfuck where Mercedes thought Quinn's baby was mine. Quinn had been after Stevie to claim their baby and I decided to help so that she would get out of my hair. Stevie didn't' take to kindly to my 'interference' so the first chance he got to ruin what I had with Mercedes he took it. He told her that his baby was actually my baby and me and Quinn were planning on living happily ever after together."

"No, Mercedes smarter than that. She would never buy that."

"She can and she did. She may be smart but she also has a ton of insecurities and Stevie managed to hit on every single one of them in on single fucking conversation. I was in LA when it happened and when I came back the next day she was gone."

"Oh, Sam..."

"She packed up everything and took whatever she could cram into her car to her mother's. It took me five days to find out where she was but by the time I got there she was gone. Once she left her mother's none of us heard from her again."

"Nobody...really?" You sure about that?"

"Yes, her mother is going out of her mind with worry. So am I. I can understand Mercedes ignoring me, but I can't understand her not contacting her mother or Kurt."

"Mmm-hmmm," Emma murmured evasively and Sam watched her suspiciously.

"Have you talked to her?"

"No. The last time we talked was a couple weeks after the baby was born."

"Oh," Sam said, deflated.

"But, I may have an idea about where she might be."

"What? How?"

"I didn't think much about it at the time but now I'm thinking she was talking about Mercedes."

"Who?"

"My obstetrician."

"Umm, what does your obstetrician have to do with this?" Sam asked uncomfortably.

"She told me that she wrote a recommendation letter for my friend. I had Liam with me that day and he was being extra fussy so I wasn't paying too much attention. In fact, I remember zoning out because I thought that given where she said she faxed the letter it couldn't possibly be one of my friends she was talking about anyway."

"Where?" Sam asked as his excitement built.

"Miami...she faxed the letter to some doctor's office in Miami, Florida."

PRESENT DAY

"So that's how you found me?" Mercedes asked, "Emma?"

"Yeah, ironic huh? She's the one that brought us together in the first place so I guess it's only fitting that she be the one that brought us together a second time."

"Wow...that's crazy."

"Tell me about it. I racked my brain for weeks trying to figure out where you had gone and the answer was just a phone call away the whole time and I didn't even know it."

"I'm sorry—"

"Don't." Sam cut Mercedes off before she could apologize again. "It's okay...really, we're going to be okay."

"Do you really think so, after everything?"

"Yeah...I do."

Mercedes eyes brimmed with tears but a huge, beautiful smile graced her face.

"I think so too."

Hours later Sam rubbed his tired eyes as he squinted to see the road. They were about an half an hour away from Washington D.C. but Sam couldn't drive another mile. Mercedes had fallen asleep 45 minutes earlier and her soft breathing had started to lull him sleep. After almost running off the road for the third time Sam finally decided to give up and find a hotel for the night. He came across a newly built LaQuinta and even though it wasn't one of the 5 star hotels he was used to staying it looked like heaven on earth to him at the moment. Almost half an hour later he managed to get two bags and a very groggy Mercedes into their room.

"Do you want to take your shower first?"

"Hmmmm..." Mercedes moaned slightly as she crawled into the bed and snuggled into the pillow.

"So I'm guessing that's a no, right?" Sam chuckled lightly as another muffled moan came from the bed.

After a quick shower Sam crawled into bed next to a now pajama-clad Mercedes. He stared at her still form for a long minute before leaning over and placing a tender kiss to her forehead.

"Goodnight baby..."

The next morning Sam woke to an empty bed once again. The bubble of panic threatened to choke him but he instantly calmed down when he heard the shower running. A couple minutes later the shower shut off and almost immediately after Mercedes came sauntering out of the bathroom dripping wet with a too-small towel wrapped around her. She went over to her bag and started rummaging through it for some clothes to wear. Sam couldn't help but enjoy the view as the white towel inched up higher and higher as she bent over the bag. Mercedes quickly grabbed what she needed and straightened up much to Sam's disappointment. She whirled around and let out a loud startled yelp when she noticed Sam watching her.

"You're awake?"

Sam gave a slight nod before his lip widened into a sly smile.

"Uh...sorry if I woke you. I should have just taken clothes in the bathroom with me, I wasn't thinking."

"It's okay Mercedes, trust me I didn't mind. At all."

Sam watched as Mercedes swallowed hard after that comment. He tried to bite back his smile but it was hard to do. Even though things weren't completely back to normal for the first time in months he felt as if a burden had been lifted off his chest. He missed her, he missed the way she made him feel. He missed them. After their talk yesterday about his mother something had changed between them. They weren't back to normal but they were a hell of a lot closer than they had been in weeks.

"Um, I'm going to go get dressed, okay?" Mercedes quiet voice broke Sam out of his reverie.

"Yeah, sure, take your time. You want breakfast? I think they have a free hot breakfast here I could go grab some stuff."

"That sound good."

"What do you want?"

"Surprise me..." Mercedes gave Sam a wink and a smile before going into the bathroom and closing the door behind her.

"You should have never said that..." Sam thought to himself.

Twenty minutes later Mercedes stared in shock at all the items on the small desk in the room. There were five different types of cereal, five cartons of milk, four different types of juice, three different types of bagels, a plate full of bacon, sausage, and eggs and a huge waffle.

"Sam! I said surprise me, not bring the whole buffet back upstairs with you!"

"Pfft...it's not the whole buffet, there are still some raisin bagels down there that I didn't get but I only did that because I know you hate raisins."

"Sam, you're completely crazy, you know that right?" Mercedes asked shaking her head.

"It's not crazy to look after the mother of my child, is it?" He asked softly.

"No...it isn't."

"Good!" Sam smiled, "let's dig in!"

Once Mercedes and Sam had filled their plates that Sam had swiped from the dining room they sat cross-legged on the bed facing each other.

"Finish the story," Mercedes pleaded, "I want to know what happened next."

"Alright, I'll finish it. So after finding out that you were more than likely in Miami I immediately called your mom. Miami seemed too random of a place for you to just choose to go to so I figured you must have known someone there. Your mom agreed but she couldn't think of anybody that you knew that lived in Miami. I remember feeling so low that day because I had just been on the biggest high thinking I found you to hitting rock bottom again because it was clear I wasn't any closer to finding then I had been before. I just remember wanting to get home and drown my troubles in the first bottle of whiskey that I could find...I just didn't care anymore."

"Oh, Sam—" Mercedes said sadly but Sam held up a hand and cut her off.

"I remember I was in the elevator on my when I got the call. I don't think I'll ever forget that shrill voice for as long as I live...

2 WEEKS AGO

"Hello?"

"Sam? This is Sam right...this is the right number isn't it? Sam!?"

"What? Who the hell is this and why are you screeching?"

There was silence on the other line before Sam heard a voice that had magically dropped about three octaves.

"Okay, first of all it's Kurt. Secondly, I do not screech. Third, I was calling to help you find Mercy but if you want to be an asshole then you can find her yourself, which you won't because clearly you suck at it."

Sam gritted his teeth together to prevent himself from snapping at Kurt. He knew all too well that Mercedes' best friend had no problem whatsoever keeping all kinds of pertinent information to himself if he was pushed and Sam wasn't trying to risk it.

"I'm sorry Kurt...could you please help me? I would greatly appreciate it." Sam asked through clenched teeth.

"That's better." Kurt huffed, "I just got off the phone with Marilyn and she told me about what Emma told you."

"Yeah? She did she also tell you that even with that info we aren't any closer to finding her than we were weeks ago?" Sam could feel the frustration building up inside him all over again. "I don't know anybody she would know in Miami and Marilyn doesn't know either! It' a huge city, we're never going to find her—"

"I know where she is."

"What? How do you...how long have you known!"

"Calm down, Sam I just figured it out. I'm not a 100% but I am about 99.9% that I know who she's with down there."

"Who?"

"A girl we went to high school with. Marilyn knew her but she would never think that she and Mercedes would be close because they pretty much hated each other through most of high school. They didn't become close until the last few months of our senior year."

"Her name?" Sam snapped rudely, he wasn't in the mood to go down memory lane with Kurt. "What's her name?"

"Santana. Her name is Santana Lopez."

PRESENT DAY

"So Santana told you where I was?" Mercedes asked in surprise.

"Yep, I'll admit it wasn't easy but I finally got her to give up the goods." Sam smiled at her before turning his attention back to the road.

Mercedes sat back in the passenger seat and looked at Sam in amazement. "I have to give it up to you Santana is not an easy nut to crack. How'd you do it?"

"Well..."

1 WEEK AGO

"Santana? This is Sam Evans...again. I know this is like the 15th time I've called today but yeah...it's kind of urgent so if you could call me back soon, I would be eternally grateful."

Sam groaned in frustration and tossed his phone on the bed beside him. He had been calling Santana non-stop ever since he had gotten the number from Kurt a few days ago. It may have only been about 15 calls today but when he added all the calls together he was pushing 100. He wouldn't be surprised in the least if Santana had put a restraining order out against him. The constant push and pull of getting his hopes up just to have them crushed into a million tiny pieces was wearing on him. Every time he got Santana's voicemail that weight that he thought had been lifted off his shoulder dropped back down harder and stronger than before. He was tired...so damn tired of getting nowhere. Despite everything he loved Mercedes and he missed her and he wanted her back more than anything but was it worth it? He thought about all the stress and all the sleepless nights. He thought about his job that was crumbling before his very eyes. All of his father's hard work going down the drain because Sam couldn't pull himself out of a funk over someone who didn't want to be found. Someone who ran from him and took his child with her. Was it really worth it? Sam didn't want to give up but he just sick and tired of it. He was at his wit's end and without a strand of hope to hang on to Sam was all but ready to let go—

RING! RING!RING!

Sam's head snapped up from the back out of the couch as the shrill ring from his cell phone startled him. He picked it up without even glancing at the caller id.

"What?" He barked into it, not caring who was on the other end.

"What? What kind of an asshole answers the phone "what"? Am I bothering you? I certainly hope so because you've been bothering the shit out me for days!"

"Santana?"

"Yes! Did you not recognize the number? I figured you would have had it burned in your brain by now after you called me a billion times!"

"Uh..." Sam was at a loss for words.

"Uh...nothing." Santana snapped. "You have been blowing my phone up for days so obviously you have something to say so you had better start talking now or I swear to God I'm hanging up this phon—"

"Wait! Just wait, okay?"

"Speak. Now."

"Look, I know I've been bothering you and I'm sorry but I really need to find Mercedes and I think you know where she is."

Sam held his breath as he waited for Santana to respond.

"What makes you think I know where Mercedes is?"

"Because I think she's in Miami and—"

"So? Miami is a big city, hundreds of thousands of people live here. Why me?"

"Because when she left her she was hurt and sad and she needed a friend."

"No, she wasn't hurt or sad, you asshole she was fucking devastated!"

Sam winced at Santana's harsh words but his heart picked up its pace a little bit at Santana's little slip up. Even if Mercedes wasn't with her now she had seen her face to face at some point.

"I need your help."

"No." Santana snapped, "I didn't call you back to help you, I called to let you know that I think you're a prick for doing what you did to Mercedes. I think you're lower than the dirt on the bottom of my shoes and I hope you rot in hell. Mercedes and her baby deserve better than to have a slimy son of a bitch like you in their lives."

"She's still pregnant? She didn't...she didn't get rid of the baby?"

"Of course not!" Santana sounded horrified, "Is that what you wanted? For her to get rid of it? You're even worse than I thought! You sorry, spineless, motherfuc—"

"Hey!" Sam yelled, "that's enough! You can think what you want to about me but you're going to have all the facts first."

"And what exactly are 'the facts' Sam?"

"I don't know what Mercedes told you but I have a pretty good idea so let me get this out of the way first and foremost. Quinn's baby is not mine, it's my brother's. I am not in love with Quinn and I never had any intention of being with her. My crime was that I was stupid enough to get wrapped up and her and my brother's bullshit but that was all. I never cheated and I never wanted anyone other than Mercedes."

Santana was quiet on the other end of the line and Sam could practically hear the wheels spinning in her head.

"Why should I believe you?" Santana asked after a long moment, "how do I know you aren't full of shit?"

"Ask Kurt...ask Mercedes' mom. They know the truth, even if they didn't completely trust me they still stuck around long enough to get the real story." Sam answered bitterly.

"If what you're saying is true—and I'm not saying I believe you—what do you expect to happen now?"

"I'm bringing her home." Sam answered gruffly, "I'm coming down to Miami and I'm bringing her and my baby home."

"And if she won't come? What, are you going to drag back by her hair kicking and screaming?"

"If I have to? Yeah." Sam answered bluntly, "I'm tired of playing around, this bullshit has gone on long enough."

"She's hurt and upset Sam, I wouldn't call it bullshit."

"If she had stuck around long enough for me to explain she wouldn't be hurt and upset!" Sam yelled, "She ran out on me! She didn't trust me or what we had long enough to stick around for five minutes so that I could explain myself! She gave up on me...on us and she took our baby with her and I don't...I don't know if I can ever forgive her for that."

"Wow, the way Mercedes made you sound...I figured you didn't care."

"Didn't care?" Sam scoffed, "All I care about is her and our baby, they're all I think about and it's driving me crazy. Is she...is she okay?"

"No. I mean, not really...she has a job that she goes to every day and she goes through the motions but she's not happy. I've heard her cry more times than I've heard her laugh. She doesn't smile, she isn't happy she's just...there. She misses you, she won't admit it but I can tell."

"Then why hasn't she called me? Or her mother or Kurt? I'm not the only one she's abandoned."

"She's confused and angry and bitter about things that don't even involve you but she can't let them go."

"Are you talking about her Dad? I know what he did, but I'm not him."

"No, you're not and it's not fair for you to be punished for his sins." Santana was quiet for a long moment before she blurted out, "I swear to God if you hurt her I will cut off your dick and feed it to you. ¿Comprende?"

"Yeah...I got you." Sam answered as he squeezed his legs together.

"You got a pen because I'm only going to say this once. I live at 2724 Vista Lane. One week from today come to this address at 5:30 pm. Mercedes comes home every day at the same time like clockwork. I'll make myself busy that day so I won't be around to disturb you guys. You'll have to catch her before she gets in the house because odds are she won't let you in and I will kick your ass if you bust my door down."

"Yes, ma'am," Sam chuckled but sobered quickly with Santana's somber words.

"I'm probably breaking every friend code by helping you, but it's killing me to see her like this. I don't know if you can fix it but she needs some peace and I think you're the only one that can bring it. Don't make me regret this Sam."

"I won't...thank you Santana, from the bottom of my heart, thank you."

PRESENT DAY

"Hey...don't do that." Sam reached across the car's console to wipe at the tears that were falling unchecked down Mercedes' face.

"I'm sorry, I just hate that I caused you so much pain. If I could take it back—"

"Shhhhh...I know. No more looking back okay? All that hurt and anger and pain all of that's in the past, right?"

"Right."

"I don't want to mess this up again," Sam said quietly, "we have to be upfront and honest from now on. If something is bothering us we talk about it then, we don't run, we don't hide, and we don't hold stuff in. Promise?"

Mercedes stuck out her right pinky and grabbed Sam's with it. She brought their fingers to her lips and placed a soft kiss on their joined fingers, "Promise," she whispered.

Sam gulped as the tiny kiss sent electric currents rushing through his body. It was crazy how the smallest caress from Mercedes could make his blood boil. As he rolled to a stop at a stop light he decided to push his luck a little bit and he leaned over and grabbed her face gently in his hands. He pulled her forward and placed a chaste kiss on her lips. Her lips parted and she exhaled slightly and he could feel her warm breath teasing his lips. He gave her one more quick peck before leaning back over to his seat just as the light turned green. He tried to keep the smug grin off his face as he watched the dazed look in her eyes clear up.

"You ready to get this show on the road?" He asked excitedly.

Mercedes smiled over at him and nodded back happily.

"Alright then,NYC here we come!"

Hours later they had finally made their way back to the city. The closer they got the more withdrawn Mercedes seemed to become, finally Sam couldn't take it anymore and he asked, "What's going on Mercedes?"

"It's just that when I left, I genuinely had no intention of ever coming back. I don't have a home or a job all of my stuff is scattered everywhere I just...I have to start all over from scratch!" Sam heard the panicked edge to Mercedes voice and tried to calm her down.

"You have a job, you don't have to worry about that. As far as the house goes, well..."

Sam trailed off as he navigated the streets of the West Village and seconds later he was parking in front of a townhouse.

Mercedes looked around in confusion before asking, "Why are we here? Whose house is this?"

"It's mine, I just closed on it a few days ago, as a matter of fact."

"You bought a townhouse? What about the condo?"

"I still have it, I figured since it's close to work I'd keep it in case I needed to crash."

"Oh...okay. Well, it's gorgeous."

"Wait until you see the inside."

Mercedes smiled at Sam's excitement and hurriedly clambered out of the car. She let him lead her up the stairs and she didn't complain when he put his hands over her eyes. He led her inside and once the door was shut behind them he took his hands off her eyes.

"What do you think?"

Sam watched with bated breath as Mercedes took in her surroundings the 4-bedroom townhouse was impressive in size and it was worth every penny he hastily put down for it. He knew that ultimately the way he went about getting his way in this matter was underhanded and sneaky but he couldn't find it in himself to feel guilty. Especially with the warm feeling he got inside at seeing Mercedes finally home, it made the inevitable meltdown worth it.

He watched her a minute longer as she perused the townhouse and he knew the exact moment when everything started to click for her. When the look of appreciation turned to one of stunned shock, before turning into confusion before finally settling firmly into anger.

"Wha—what the hell...is that my...why in the hell is all my stuff here?" She screeched.

Sam calmly met her furious gaze before smiling down at her and saying the one thing he had wanted to say for weeks.

"Welcome home, Mercedes."


	26. Baby Steps

Mercedes looked around in shock at the boxes scattered around the spacious living room. At first she was in awe of the vast living space but the more she looked around the more things started to look strange…strangely familiar. Too familiar. The crazy lamp that Kurt had convinced her to buy at a flea market stood proudly in the corner next to the painting of a dark purple rose that her mother got her for her 24th birthday that was propped up against a wall. Mercedes turned her attention back to the numerous boxes on the floor and for the first time she noticed that some of them had the elegant handwriting that she used when she first began packing while the others had the panicked, trembling scrawl that she used after she had gotten 'the news.' The couch, the side tables, the coffee table, the TV stand—everything it was all hers. Mercedes stared on disbelief at her entire life stuffed haphazardly into Sam's living room.

"Wha—what the hell...is that my...why in the hell is all my stuff here?" She screeched in a voice she didn't even recognize. She turned her furious gaze to Sam and she felt her blood start to really boil when she saw the slow, almost smug grin cross his face.

"Welcome home, Mercedes."

"Excuse me?"

"Welcome home."

Mercedes shook her head back and forth before saying, "No…you said this was your house, not mine."

"Not true. It's our home."

"Since when?"

"Since you left everything behind! You said it yourself Mercedes, you don't have anywhere else to go."

"I said that five minutes ago! My shit didn't magically appear when I said that, you planned this!"

"Yes, I did." Sam said stated simply which just infuriated Mercedes even more. "You're not the only one around here that makes rash decisions that affect people around you."

Mercedes head snapped back as if he'd slapped her and her eyes narrowed dangerously, "Uh-uh, oh hell no! I let you take your pound of flesh Sam but you don't get to hang this over my head forever. I fucked up and I'm sorry but that doesn't give you the right to move all of my shit into some new house that you bought. I told you before I left what I felt about us living together and that was when stuff between us was good! You had no right, Sam. I know I messed up but you had no right."

Mercedes was furious but she didn't know if it were because of what Sam did or because of the feelings it evoked in her. She was so angry but at the same time she was scared. That same suffocating feeling that she had felt when Sam had mentioned living together months ago came rushing back only this time it was ten times stronger than it was before. Back then it was just an idea but not it was a reality and Mercedes was very aware of that fact. She wasn't ready then and she still wasn't ready now and she was pissed that he was forcing it on her.

"No." She said firmly.

"No?"

"Absolutely not. I don't care if I have to live in a box under a bridge somewhere I'm not doing it, not like this. I am not living here."

Sam's features darkened at her words and seconds later he spat out, "well guess what Mercedes it's not just about you anymore. If it makes you feel any better think of it this way, it's not for you it's for our baby. You can want to live in a box all you want to prove some fucked up point but I'll be damned before our baby has less than the absolute best."

Mercedes felt instantly ashamed because Sam was right. She wasn't thinking about the baby, she was thinking about herself. She panicked and as usual her first thought was to run. That type of reaction was never a good look but now that she was having a baby it was bad on a whole other level. A child needed stability and even though she hated to admit it, she had been anything but stable the last few months.

"You're right," Mercedes said reluctantly. Even though her initial reaction may have not been the best she refused to apologize for not reacting well to having something like this sprung on her.

Mercedes could feel Sam staring at her but she wouldn't meet his gaze. She looked around again at all her belongings and she could feel a lump growing in her throat. All at once the reality that her poorly thought out decision to run had real consequences that she hadn't counted on. If she hadn't run out the way she did, she would have had her own place to live. Even though remnants of anger towards Sam still remained she knew that ultimately the only person she could blame for this current situation was herself.

A long silence stretched between them until finally Mercedes heard Sam let out a loud sigh before asking curtly, "Are you hungry?"

"Yeah…I guess."

Mercedes could feel his eyes boring into her but she still refused to look at him. Out of the corner of her eye she could see him shifting his weight from foot to foot before finally spinning on his heel and stalking out of the house. Once he was gone Mercedes walked over to where her couch was located and grabbed one of the cushions off the tall pile next to it. She tossed the pillow on the ground and sat down on it before grabbing the closest box to her and dragging it towards her. She noticed the carefully written "PICTURES" on the side so she knew it was one of the boxes she had packed early on. The box had already been cut open and she looked around and noticed that all of the boxes had been conveniently opened. She turned back to the box in front of her and she reached inside and pulled out a large, flat rectangular object. She peeled the bubble wrap away and as soon as she revealed the photo her eyes welled with tears. It was a picture of her and her mom from her college graduation. For months she had tried to keep all thoughts of her mother to an absolute minimum because the guilt was crushing. She was ashamed by her actions but she felt justified by her bitterness but now after hearing Sam's story she knew how wrong she was. She held on to her resentment for years and when it came time to unleash it she erupted all over the wrong person. Her mother wasn't to blame for her shitty father and hearing Sam say that her mother only put up with him because of her broke her heart.

Mercedes stared at the picture a minute longer before taking a deep breath and pulling her cell phone out of her jeans pocket. She scrolled until she found the number she was looking for and then she pressed send. Moments later she heard ringing and she drew in a shaky breath when almost immediately an achingly familiar voice came on the line.

"Hello?"

"Mama?"

Mercedes held her breath as she listened to the silence on the other end. She was getting worried that her mother had hung up on her when she finally heard Marilyn breathe out, "Mercedes?"

The thin hold on her control snapped at the sound of her mother's voice and she burst into tears before blurting out, "I'm…so….s-s-sorry for everything! I wasn't thinking and I…I…I—"

"Baby, calm down. I know." Marilyn answered soothingly in a slow and steady voice that helped bring Mercedes off the hysterical edge that she was hanging precariously on.

"Are you okay?" Marilyn asked.

"You're asking me if I'm okay?"

"Of course, you're my baby I'm always going to want to know if you're okay. You should really remember that the next time you decide to run off again without a word."

For the second time that night Mercedes felt ashamed. It would never fail to amaze her that her mother could make her feel just a few inches tall with just a few simple words.

"Never again Mama, I promise."

"Good. Now answer my question, are you okay?"

"Ummm...Sam bought us a house." Mercedes answered as if that explained everything.

"I know," Her mother laughed gently, "he showed me pictures, he is really excited."

"Well, I'm pretty sure I killed that."

"Mercedes!"

"I didn't mean to, I really didn't but I was shocked and angry. We talked about moving in together before and I was against it but he still went behind my back and did it anyway."

"You know this wouldn't have happened if you hadn't left."

"Yes, I know Mama…whose side are you on anyway?"

"His." Marilyn said simply. "About this I'm on his side."

"What?" Mercedes asked feeling slightly betrayed, "How can you take his side over mine?"

"You'll always be my baby and about anything else I've got you're back above all others but you know you were wrong for this."

"Yes…I know."

"Listen, I promised myself I wouldn't preach or lecture when we talked again but this needs to be said. That man loves you. When he found out that you were in Miami with Santana he was like a whirlwind: the house, the moving—he did all of that in less than a week. He set you up so that when he brought you back you would have a home to come back to and he made sure that you had all of your belongings. After everything your comfort and you well-being meant everything to him. Another man would've hate you and he would have every right to do so. To some people what you did would be considered unforgivable, but not to Sam. He may have been hurt and angry but at the end of the day he still loves you and he loves this baby. I know you're scared honey, and I know you've been hurt but you gotta give a little and meet him halfway. You've got a few months left until your baby gets here and in the meantime you need to get your shit together."

"Mama!"

"Well it's the truth. You need to get some therapy because your issues are far from gone. If you don't talk to someone you're always going to be one misunderstanding away from having a meltdown. What your father did you was unforgivable but you are better than him. He doesn't deserve your tears—he never did. Sam is a good man, a man that is a little bit broken himself. You two need each other. I know it's overwhelming and nothing has gone the way you planned it, but you have to adapt. You can't live your life afraid to love, or take a chance, or trust anybody otherwise you'll never be happy. Do you understand?"

"Yes, mama."

"Good. Now answer me this, do you love him? Really?"

"Of course I do."

"No, Mercedes, think about it. Do you love him? Not just because of the baby and in spite of everything. Do you love him?

Mercedes thought about it for a second and the answer was clear. Even after everything she still loved him, there was no doubt about that. Even when she was at her absolute lowest and she wanted to hate him, she still loved him even if she didn't want to admit it to herself.

"Yes." She answered firmly.

"Good, admitting is half the battle, baby, now you have to show it by meeting him halfway. I know he sprung this moving in thing on you but it doesn't have to be a bad thing."

"I guess…" Mercedes answered uncertainly.

"What do you think of the house?"

"It's huge…I don't even want to think about how much money he spent to get it, especially given how quickly he got it."

"Yeah, he spent a pretty penny. What do you think of the bedrooms?"

"I don't think anything about them…I haven't made it past the living room."

"Mercedes! You need to see your new home!"

"Well I was upset and then I started talking to you…"

"Well, go do it now! We'll have plenty of time to talk in a couple days. Sam bought me a plane ticket—first class." She announced proudly.

Mercedes laughed and she realized she felt lighter than she had in months.

"I can't wait to see you mama."

"Me too baby. No go check out those rooms!"

"I will. Love you."

"Love you too, see you soon."

"Bye Mama."

"Bye Baby."

Mercedes hung up and she could hardly contain the wide smile on her face. Being without her mama just wasn't right. She was glad they were getting back to how they used to be. Mercedes carefully laid the picture back in the box and she looked around at the mess in the living room. For the first time since she found out about the 'living situation' she didn't feel suffocated or overwhelmed. She still was a bit weary of the idea of living with Sam but the aching dread that had descended upon her when she first felt the news dissipated after he talk with her mother. It was scary but it wasn't anything she couldn't handle.

After giving herself a mini pep talk she decided to follow her mother's advice and check out her new home. Her first stop was the kitchen and it was a sight to behold. It was ultra-chic and all white. Mercedes walked inside and ran her hands across the cool counter before sitting on one of the four barstools and doing a quick spin. She bit back the delighted giggle that tried to escape and she hopped off the stool and gave the kitchen one last appreciative look.

Next, she went into a room that was lined with bookshelves and she assumed that it would act as the library/office. Once again she tried to fight the delighted squeal that wanted to come out at the thought of filling those bookcases with tons and tons of books. From there she found a guest bathroom that had a massive walk-in shower across from a white marble sink. She grinned in excitement at the impressive space before making her way upstairs. Once she made it to the second floor she went into the first door to her immediate right and she found another bathroom but this one had a huge clawfoot tub that had Mercedes groaning in pleasure at the sight of it. Beside it was another walk in shower that was similar to the one that was downstairs, as well as the marble sink that was now a his and hers instead of just a single one. Mercedes tried to ignore the flutter of pleasure at the thought of spending mornings with Sam in the bathroom preparing for their day. The way this house came to be in her life still infuriated her but she would be lying if she didn't admit that with the reveal of every room she could feel that hard edge that was surrounding her heart softening with ever door knob turned.

Down the hallway she found that there were two rooms directly across from each other and then another one at the end of the hallway. She went into the room on the right and she was greeted with the sight of her old bedroom suite. The bed that had been broken down in anticipation for her move to her new apartment all those months ago was back together. On either side of it were her dark brown night tables and pushed up against the far wall was her matching dresser drawer. On the opposite side of the room were two doors, Mercedes went over and pulled them open and she couldn't contain the strangled gasp at what she found. In front of her was a walk-in closet that looked as if it were bigger than the size of her old apartment. The squeal that had been fighting to come out finally escaped as Mercedes took in the massive closet. She knew she had nowhere near enough clothes and shoes to fill it but she knew she would have a hell of good time trying to. After salivating over the closet for a few seconds more she finally, reluctantly pulled herself away so she could check out the room across the hall.

She opened the door and she was immediately smacked in the face but the lingering, familiar smell of Sam's cologne. She looked around in surprise for a second before eyes landed on the four-poster bed that she recognized from Sam's guest room at his penthouse. There were a couple of boxes, one was labeled shoes and the other toiletries but other than that the room was bare. Mercedes peaked inside the closest that was substantially smaller than hers and she found only a few suits hanging up inside. After the hissy fit she had thrown about them living together it surprised Mercedes how upset it made her feel to know that in all actuality they weren't. Now that she had calmed down and could see the whole picture clearly she realized Sam had moved everything she owned into this house but other than a spare bed and a couple of boxes nothing belonged to him. She knew that she should be grateful that Sam didn't bum rush her to the extent that she thought he did but instead she just felt…empty. She remembered him saying earlier that it was their home but now she was wondering if she misunderstood him. Maybe it would be 'their' house in a 'he bought it and she lived in it' kind of way as opposed to a 'we live her together' kind of way.

Mercedes felt disheartened as she closed Sam's bedroom door behind her and all of her earlier excitement seemed as if it had been drained from her body. She briefly considered just going back downstairs but the door at the end of the hall beckoned so she made her ways towards it. Once she reached it Mercedes half-heartedly pushed the door opened determined to only peek inside what she was sure was a empty room but what she found had her gasping in surprise as tears filled her eyes. The spacious room was a stark white but it was littered with a rainbow of colors. Taped to the wall was an array of different colors split into sections: one section was reds that faded into pinks, another one was all blue, another one was greens and yellows. Across the room there were sections for purples, whites and beiges, and browns. Pushed against the wall was a tiny table that was weighed down by a stack of parenting books and beside it was an old rocking chair that had a tiny white box in the seat. Mercedes wiped tears from her eyes and she made her way to the chair. She picked up the tiny box and she opened it to find the cutest little walking shoes she had ever seen. They were slightly yellowed with age and the laces were frayed but they were still adorable to Mercedes.

"My mom used to love that chair."

Mercedes jerked her hand away from the chair and she whirled in surprise to find Sam in the doorway of the bedroom watching her warily as if he were afraid to approach her.

"It's really beautiful."

Sam visibly softened a bit at Mercedes words before walking a few more steps inside the room. "She used to sing lullabies—Twinkle, Twinkle was my favorite" Sam said almost absent-mindedly as he continued into the room. "When my mom died the only thing I wanted was this. I know it's crazy but sometimes when I sit in it I swear I can still hear her voice." Sam's voice became noticeably thick but he continued on, "Stevie hated this chair, go figure, so it was just something for me and Mom. I loved it."

"I'm sure the baby will love it too."

"You think?" Sam asked with a slight smile on his face.

"Yeah I do. I think the baby is going to love the whole thing…I do."

Mercedes watched as the smile faltered from Sam's face as he watched her intently.

"Look, if you're just saying that because you don't want to hurt my feelings after telling you about my mom don't worry about it."

"This has nothing to do with your mom. I genuinely love this house, everything is so amazing. I know earlier I acted less than…gracious but after a talk with my mom I realized that I was being stupid."

"You weren't being stupid."

"Yes, I was." She replied firmly, "I have issues: Daddy issues, commitment issues, trust issues…but I don't want to be that girl anymore."

Sam looked at her in surprise, "Wow, that must have been one hell of a talk."

"It was, my mother is brutally honest as always. She just has a way of cutting through all the bullshit and making me see the light. I've desperately needed that in my life."

"Marilyn Jones is an incredible woman."

"I'm glad the two of you get along so well…I didn't expect it, but I like it."

"Me too, it's nice having a mother figure in my life again."

Mercedes' heart swelled at his words and she walked forward the remaining steps between him and wrapped her arms around his waist. She felt him stiffen when she laid her head against his chest but within seconds his arms were encircling her. The stood like that for a few seconds before Sam leaned back a little bit so that he could look down at her.

"So you really like the house?"

"Love it."

"Good." Sam pulled her close again and the stood like that for a few minutes longer in comfortable silence before Mercedes' stomach decided to interrupt it—loudly. Sam laughed heartily at the sound and Mercedes could feel her cheeks grow hot so she decided to save face and do what any good mother would do…blame her child.

"That wasn't me, that was the baby."

"Mmmm-hmmmm…" Was all Sam said before he grabbed her hand and took her out of the nursery.

15 minutes later Sam and Mercedes were back in the living room and they were sitting on two couch cushions facing each other with Chinese takeout boxes scattered around them.

"Um…I just wanted to let you know that tomorrow I'm going to call my OB to schedule an appointment for an ultrasound. I went before in Florida but it was too early to really see anything. I think now we could tell the sex…if you wanted to."

"What do you want?"

"I wanna know. What do you want?"

"I want whatever you want."

"Sam…"

"Okay, okay…I really want to know too."

Mercedes couldn't help the large grin that crossed her face and from the look on Sam's face she could tell he couldn't help his either. He leaned forward and gave her a smacking kiss on the lips before picking up the box on the floor nearest to him and peaking inside.

"So do you want this stir fry or do you want to start with the Sesame Chicken?"

An hour later Mercedes laid back with a groan and patted her protruding tummy.

"Why?" She began miserably, "why did you let me eat that much?

Sam laughed but it quickly turned to a groan of his own as he clutched his full stomach.

"You know as full as we are right now we're still going to be starving in a about an hour. The wonder of Chinese food."

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

After that statement Mercedes turned on her back stared up at the high ceilings as she rubbed small circles on her belly. After a while she turned her head to find Sam watching her hand intently.

"You can feel if you want to."

Sam's green eyes snapped up to meet hers and she leaned over and grabbed his hand and placed it on her stomach.

"I feel light flutters all the time, but I think pretty soon you should be able to feel it on the outside."

Sam's green eyes softened as he rubbed his hand in big soothing circles on Mercedes' stomach.

"So…" he said after a while, "you never answered me about work."

"Do you think it's a good idea, us living together and working together?"

"We were pretty much doing it before all this happened and it worked out fine. Ironically enough it's when we weren't together that things fell apart."

"That's true." Mercedes admitted, "I just don't want to come back in the office after leaving so abruptly and mess up the flow of things."

"Listen, our personal relationship aside you were the best assistant I've ever had."

"Sam…"

"No, I'm serious. Emma was an amazing assistant but you were the best. You were the best with me, we clicked in a way that I haven't clicked with anyone else."

"Uh, yeah Sam I know how well we 'clicked', Mercedes said with a laugh as she gestured to her stomach.

"That's not what I meant, we were good together. I mean, we had a bumpy couple of weeks but once we got a handle on what our real problem was—"

"Our lack of 'clicking'?"

"Fine, once we clicked—really, clicked we made a great team."

"We really did," Mercedes begrudgingly admitted, "but what about your current assistant?"

"Whatever her name is, she's out." He shrugged.

"Sam!"

"What? She had only been there a few days and she isn't that great. She was more competent that the previous assistants but that's not exactly a compliment. Besides she was always hitting on me and it got annoying."

"If she was so bad why has she lasted so long?"

"Because I hired her a couple of days before I came to find you. I figured there would be no use in getting rid of her only to bring someone else in for a few days just so that I could fire them when you came back. Besides, I don't think the temp agency would've sent me another one anyway…" He finished in a mumbling voice.

"You were pretty confident that I was coming back with you."

"I wasn't going to take no for an answer."

Mercedes stared into his intense green eyes and she believed it. After Sam's strong words a slightly uncomfortable silence fell over room and Mercedes decided that now was a good a time as any to ask the question that had been plaguing her ever since her tour of the house.

"So aside from your bed, a couple of boxes and that rocking chair does anything else in this house belong to you?"

"Well, I've been sleeping here and that's why the bed is here but other than that, no. I knew the house would be a hard enough sell by itself, I didn't want to make it worse by forcing myself and all my stuff on you too."

"And now?"

Sam's green eyes bored into her brown ones.

"Do you want me to?"

"You bought this big house and it doesn't make sense for it to be just me and the baby." Mercedes answered evasively.

"That's not what I asked you. Do you want me here? I don't expect things to be perfect overnight but I want to…we were going somewhere before all of this and I just—"

"I want you to."

"Really?"

"Yeah….I mean, yes, I'll admit that the idea freaked me out at first and in some ways it still does but you're right, we had something before all of this and if you're willing to me give me another chance after everything then I want to try too. I want us to get all of our shit together before this baby gets here. I want us to be a family."

"I want that too." The apprehensive look on Sam's face melted as a wide grin crossed his face. He tugged on her cushions and slid her across the small space between them. He brought his large hand to her face and gently rubbed his thumb over her bottom lip. He did it several times but between that, his warm breath on her face, and her raging hormones Mercedes felt as if she were about to explode. When Sam's thumb made another pass over her lips Mercedes grabbed his hand in frustration and let out a small whining noise that caused Sam to chuckle.

"I know, I know," he said before putting her out of her misery and covering her mouth with his own. The spark between them that never seemed to die quickly turned into a blazing inferno and their little make out session was headed to something much more. They had kissed a couple times over the last few days but it was nothing like this, in fact, Mercedes didn't even think it was like this before she left either. Sam shifted them so that Mercedes was on her back on her cushions and he was hovering over her. Their kisses had now become frantic and their hands were racing over each other's bodies. Sam settled in between Mercedes' spread legs and he ground his hips in a deliciously slow way that had her clawing at his clothed back. Sam's plump lips settled on the crook of her neck and she felt the sharp bite of his teeth followed immediately but the cool soothing swipe of his tongue. Sam rolled his hips into hers roughly and even through several layers of clothes he hit the right spot. She let out a loud groan that sounded slightly pained as she felt the oh so, and greatly missed, familiar ache curling in her belly. She tightened her arms around Sam but was unceremoniously brought out of her lust-filled haze by the surprise of Sam jerking out of her arms.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking…are you okay?"

"Wha-?" Mercedes asked in surprise as she tried to shake off the remnants of lust.

"The baby. I completely forgot that you were pregnant for a second."

"The baby—what in the hell are you talking about."

"You moaned and I thought I had hurt you or something and—are you laughing at me?"

Mercedes clutched at her stomach as she giggled uncontrollably. "Oh my God, you should see your face."

"Mercedes, this isn't funny," Sam said sternly which only caused Mercedes to laugh louder. After a couple minutes her loud guffaws finally settled into quiet giggles and she turned towards Sam again to find him laying on his cushions and pouting.

"Awww…" she whispered quietly as she put her hand on face much in the way he did hers earlier. She ran her hand down his cheek before leaning forward and giving him a small kiss on his pursed lips. When he didn't kiss her back she stifled a giggle and pressed another, firmer kiss to his lips but there was still no response. She pushed him so that he was laying on his back and she leaned over him, she noticed that the pout still remained but his green eyes were sparkling.

"For the record," she murmured softly as she kissed his jawline, "I made that noise because what you were doing felt really, really good."

"Is that right?" He asked huskily as she tugged gently at his earlobe with her teeth.

"Mmmmm-hmmm," she moaned in his ear before she traced it with her tongue, "you're not going to hurt the baby Sam."

At the mention of their baby Sam wandering hands stilled and he pulled away but not before Mercedes caught the guilty look on his face.

"That's what worries you, isn't it? Hurting the baby?"

"I don't want to…I'm just not sure and I don't…"

"It's okay, we'll talk to the doctor about that stuff. Okay? I promise you it won't be a problem."

"Okay." Sam gave her a slight grin but it didn't quite meet his eyes. Mercedes hoped that after they talked with the OB he would feel better.

Deciding a change of topic was in order Mercedes sat up and gave Sam a playful look, "Sooooooo, what are we going to do now?"

"Well…" Sam looked around the box-filled living room, "we could always unpack."

"Oh joy."

The next morning Mercedes woke with a huge smile on her face and very sore muscles. The sore muscles came from hours of unpacking what seemed like an endless number of boxes and the smile came from the toe-curling kiss that Sam gave her outside her bedroom before they went to bed. That tingling feeling was still racing down her spine hours later.

"Well don't you look like the cat that caught the canary," came a sardonic, dry voice from the foot of her bed.

"Ah!" Mercedes yelled in startled surprise. The surprise quickly changed to joy and then apprehension as she stared into the cold, angry eyes of her best friend."

"Hey Kurt."

"Mercedes." He snapped, "sleep well?"

"Kurt, I—"

"No, I need to say something and you're going to listen. Got it?"

"Yes."

"I'm mad at you. I am so mad at you that I can barely see straight. What you did was irresponsible and selfish and damn it Mercedes! Why did you do it?"

"Kurt…"

"I'm not finished!" He interrupted loudly, "You hurt me, your mother and Sam, it was like you didn't even care. We spent weeks worried about you and you couldn't even be bothered to email or text or send snail mail or anything!"

Kurt's face had turned red and tears were streaming down his face and the next words he said had Mercedes' hurt stopping in her chest.

"I hate you Mercedes," he said in a low choked voice, "I hate you for the pain you caused. I hate you for how easily you dismissed all of us. I hate that if Sam hadn't found you then you probably would have kept that baby away from us. I hate that you made your mother cry. I hate that you made me cry. I hate missing you. I hate that you broke Sam. Most of all I hate that despite it all I still love you more than I have ever loved anyone else. You're my best friend. You're my family—don't ever do this to me again."

"Okay, I promise." Mercedes managed to get out before the tears clogging her throat made it impossible to speak.

Kurt crawled in bed and gathered Mercedes in his arms.

"I'm so sorry Kurt"

"I know…I've just been holding that in for months and needed to get it out."

"Feel better?"

"Much."

"Good."

They lay together in bed for several more minutes and the only sound between them was a few sniffles here and there.

"I've missed you," Kurt finally whispered.

"Missed you too." Mercedes whispered back, "I'm really sorry, you were right, I was selfish."

"And now?"

"And now I realize how much of a fool I've been and I want to make it better with everyone, including you—especially you."

"You've already made it a million times better by just being here."

Mercedes smiled and snuggled deeper in Kurt's arms. She didn't realize until just then how much she missed and needed her best friend in her life. With the exception of her mother no one has never been more honest with Mercedes than Kurt.

"Sam did a great job," Kurt said, breaking into her reverie, "He was like a man possessed when he found where you were. I swear five minutes after he got off the phone with Santana he was asking for the key to the storage so he could have all your stuff shipped to this house. I knew you would flip your shit when you found out what he did but I happily helped him."

"I see that." She replied dryly.

"You should have seen him Mercy, I know I had my doubts about him in the beginning but I don't anymore. He really loves you."

"I know that."

"And?"

"And what?"

"What do you plan on doing about the two of you. I see you're still here and haven't burned down the townhouse in a fit of hormonal rage so I figure that was a sign of good things."

"Well….we talked last night and we decided that we both wanted to try. So much stuff has been done and said so it may be hard but he is so worth it."

"You're worth it too you know."

Mercedes averted her gaze and dropped her head.

"Hey, stop that. Nobody was madder at you than I was but the love still never went anywhere. It's the same for your mom and Sam. We're all crazy about you Mercy and with good damn reason. You made a stupid, hurtful mistake but you're only human. At the end of the day the mistake isn't important, what you do after the mistake is what's important."

"When did you get so wise?" Mercedes asked in a teasing voice.

"Hey! I know a thing or two."

"Mmmm-hmmm…"Mercedes laughed and after a few seconds he joined in.

"If Kurt was anybody else I would be terribly jealous right now." Came a deep voice from the doorway.

Kurt and Mercedes laughter tapered off as the found Sam watching them with an amused look on his face.

"You should be jealous," Kurt teased, "we all know I'm the man of Mercedes' dreams."

"This is true," Mercedes answered giving Sam a quick wink.

Kurt hugged her once more and whispered "I love you" in her ear before getting out of the bed. As he walked by Sam he gave him a smile and a light tap on his shoulder.

"Don't you two do anything I wouldn't do!"

"There's something you won't do?"

"Ah, touché Samuel, touché."

With that Kurt blew a kiss in Mercedes direction and then he was out the door.

Once Kurt was out the door Mercedes finally focused her full attention on Sam and he looked good…real good. The dark gray suit he wore fit him like a glove and he looked good enough to eat. The memory of his warm, plump lips on hers the night before flashed in her mind and she instantly got warm all over.

"Good morning." Sam said breaking into her hormone fueled thoughts.

"Good morning."

"Kurt didn't wake you did he? I told him to wait but he wanted to see you."

"No, he didn't wake me which means he has been watching me sleep. How long has he been here?"

"Not long," Sam laughed.

"So you headed for work?"

"Yes. Mrs. Halbright may keel over and die when she sees me."

"Why?"

"This is the first time that I've worn a suit to work since you left. Looking presentable wasn't high on my list of priorities.

"Well you look more than presentable."

"You think so?" He asked with a small grin before walking over to the side of the bed and taking the spot Kurt had just vacated

"Mmm-hmmm…" she nodded.

Sam leaned forward to kiss her but she jerked her head back before he could get too close.

"No…morning breath." She said apologetically.

Sam gave her a look that clearly said he didn't care but he still respected her wishes and leaned back to his side of the bed.

"So, um I'm going to call my OB today and see if she can work some magic and squeeze me in today, it might be a longshot but given that I used to work for her she might do me a favor."

"Whenever, it doesn't matter, I'll be there. I can't wait to see our baby."

"Good, I'll call her right now."

Hours later Mercedes got her favor granted. Her OB was over the moon about Mercedes being pregnant and she also couldn't wait to see the baby. There was no opening during the normal work hours so she made special arrangements for Mercedes to come in after hours and get her sonogram done.

As Mercedes lay on the table she watched as Sam nervously tugged on his hair and bit his lip as his knee bounced up and down almost frantically.

"Are you okay?"

"Wha—yeah…no…yeah…yes, I'm good." He replied nervously.

"Really?"

"I just—no, I'm good."

"Okay." Mercedes answered even though she didn't believe him. She tried to ignore the niggling thought in the back of her mind that kept trying to remind her that it was all too good to be true and Sam was going to run off. He wouldn't do that to her and she knew she needed to stop letting that fear rule her life.

She reached over to him and motioned for him to take her hand, once she did she placed it on her exposed belly and she watched as the strained lines in Sam's face disappeared as a smile bloomed on his face.

The sweet moment was broken by the sound of her doctor entering the room. Holly Holiday was a tall, thin blonde waif that was scatter-brained and all over the place 99% of the time but Mercedes loved her. The prospect of childbirth was a million times easier because she knew t hat Holly would be there with her.

"So, you two are you ready to see your bundle of joy? We normally have technicians do the ultrasounds but I wanted to do this one myself. So you guys ready?" She asked with barely contained excitement.

"Yes," Sam and Mercedes answered simultaneously before looking at each other and sharing a nervous laugh.

Holly wasted no time and she quickly squirted the cool liquid onto Mercedes belly before giving them a brief rundown on what they were going to be looking at. Once she placed the wand on Mercedes' stomach it was if all the air was sucked out of the room. Both Sam and Mercedes were deathly quiet as the intently watched the screen. Just when Mercedes thought she couldn't take it any longer she heard it—her baby's heartbeat.

The quick, rhythmic beating noise filled the room and Mercedes felt the tears run down her face at the sound. She looked over at Sam and his gaze was fixated on the screen but she could still see the tears shining in his green eyes.

"Okay you two, so Baby Evans has a strong, healthy heartbeat which we love. If you look right here you will see your little one's spine—see, it looks like a strand of pearls. Right here is his or her nose and awww, it looks like they may be sucking their thumb. From the looks of things he or she is about 5 ½ inches and almost 7 ounces which is about the size of an heirloom tomato so your baby is right on target."

Mercedes giggled at the cute thought of a 7 ounce tomato baby and Sam turned to smile at her in response.

"So," Holly asked, "do you want to know the sex because I can definitely tell."

Sam and Mercedes looked at each other and gave each other looks that made it clear that both of them wanted to know.

"Ok…drum roll? No? Alright then, congratulations you two on what I'm sure will be a beautiful baby girl."

Mercedes covered her mouth as even more tears started to stream down her face. She watched through bleary eyes as Sam bowed his head and wiped at his eyes.

"Well, what do you two think?"

Mercedes still had her hand over her mouth and she shook her head from left to right unable to get out the words past the huge lump in her throat.

"Perfect," Sam said in a thick voice, "our baby girl is perfect."

An hour later Sam and Mercedes were walking through the door of the townhouse, they hadn't spoken a word since they left the doctor's office and the silence between them was heavy with something but Mercedes didn't know what it was. She figured it had something to do with the sex question she had asked the doctor before they had left but she couldn't be sure. As she suspected sex between them was perfectly okay and as Holly put it once those hormones kicked in it would be something that Mercedes really needed and really, really wanted.

Sam walked into the house and he threw his keys on the small stand next to the coat rack.

"You hungry?" He asked without meeting Mercedes gaze.

"Not really."

"Ok then." Sam moved to leave the room but Mercedes rushed forward and grabbed his arm. "What's going on with you? You've been acting weird ever since we left the doctor's office."

"It's nothing , I'm fine."

"You're lying, I thought you wanted to work on this relationship and we can't do that if you're being dishone—"

Mercedes words were cut off by Sam lips. His mouth worked furiously on hers and it took only a second for the surprise to wear off before she was fully returning his kiss. The ultrasound fluttered to the ground as Mercedes was almost roughly backed up to the couch. Sam slowed just a bit once they bumped into it and in a small break from his earlier hurried ministrations he lowered her gently to the couch. Within seconds he was covering her body with his and his lips were back on hers. The large living room was soon filled with breathy moans and harsh breaths as the two of them sipped, and tugged, and tore at each other's lips.

Again Mercedes felt the familiar ache in her lower belly as Sam rubbed his heavy, hard lower body against hers. He felt so good but it wasn't enough and it was driving her insane.

"Sam please," she begged, "I need you…I need more."

At her words Sam suddenly stilled and after a second's hesitation he lifted himself off of her.

"I'm sorry," He said as he stood up, he ran his hands through his mussed blonde hair as he stared down at her with unreadable eyes. "I can't do this right now."

"What?" Mercedes asked in confusion as she moved into a sitting position. "What are you talking about—Sam…where are you going?" Mercedes jumped up from the couch and watched in horror as Sam scooped up the keys from the stand he threw them on and stalked towards the front door.

"Wait! What's going on?"

"I just…this isn't right…I can't do this right now. I'm sorry."

With those cold, detached words Sam walked out the door and shut it firmly behind him. Mercedes stood there for what seemed like hours as she stared at the door willing it to open and for Sam to walk back through.

"This is not happening." she kept whispering to herself over and over again. All of her worst fears were not coming true…he was NOT just going to leave her…it wasn't happening. Mercedes walked back towards the couch but before she got there she picked up the sonogram that had fallen to the floor. She sat on the cushions that were still warm from their bodies and she curled her legs under her as she stared down at the picture of her baby.

"It's going to be okay Little Bit, everything's fine. Daddy just needed to get some air but he'll be back I promise. We're just going to sit and wait for him, okay?"

Mercedes refused to believe that Sam dragged her all the way back here just so he could leave her. She refused to believe that all of those touches, and looks, and kisses, and words were fake. This was not happening to her.

She didn't know what was going on with him but she knew he'd be back, so she would wait.

So she did.

She waited.

And waited.

And waited.

He never came back.


	27. Sex Therapy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is going to be told from 3 different points of view and it will go back and forth between several days.

As Dr. Roz Washington stared at the mutinous faces of the two people in front of her she genuinely didn't know how she was going to help them. The tension between them was an palpable thing, something she could almost swear she could see radiating between them in waves. There was anger there but most of all there was hurt—deep hurt. They had been sitting in her office now for ten minutes and with the exception of a few stilted greetings there had been absolute silence from both of them. The stubborn set of their jawlines showed that neither one of them had any intention of being their first one to spill their guts, but Roz knew that she couldn't be a help to either one of them if they didn't talk. And she had a sneaking suspicion that not communicating is what brought them to her in the first place.

"So, what brings you two to my office?"

Silence.

"Nothing? So everything is fine, right?"

Silence.

"You know you two, I get paid 150 bucks an hour so if you just want to sit here staring at opposite sides of the wall, that's fine with me, either way I'm still sending out my bill."

Silence.

"Fine, let's just sit here then and in a few months when that baby comes out you can explain to him or her why Mommy and Daddy are too emotionally screwed up to raise them properly."

With that statement two sets of eyes snapped to her accusingly but still neither one of them said a word.

"Look, the two of you clearly need help and you both have acknowledged that fact otherwise you wouldn't be here. However, I can't help you if you won't speak. You may be mad at each other, hell, you may even hate each other but you will never move from this stagnant spot if you don't communicate. Talk!"

"I haven't seen him in over three weeks," Roz heard a low voice say.

"Three weeks? Is there any reason for that?"

Silence.

Roz swallowed her annoyance at the blonde man who stared resolutely out the large window at his right. The only sign of emotion coming from him was the continuous ticking in his jaw and the clenched fists that were lying tensely on his thighs.

"How did that make you feel?" Roz asked to the only participant she currently had.

"Alone."

At the single word Roz watched as the blonde man slowly closed his eyes and clenched them shut tightly. He looked as if he wanted to say something—anything but still…nothing.

"Now that he's back per say, what do you feel?"

"I still feel alone. He's not 'back' he's just here because my mother begged him to come. He isn't doing this for me, he's doing it for her."

"That's not true," the man finally barked.

"Then why are you here?" Roz asked. "Sam…why are you here?"

Silence.

Roz blew out an annoyed breath before saying, "This isn't working, neither one of you is in the place to bare your soul in front of the other yet so we are never going to get anywhere because both of you refuse to talk. So, the couple's counseling is being put on hold until after I spend some one on one time with each of you. So, Mercedes since you seem a little bit more willing to talk I'll speak with you first and Sam can come in some other time. Does that work for the both of you?"

"Yes," Mercedes answered while Sam muttered, "it's fine."

"Good. Since today's session is a wash how about we try this again on Wednesday with Mercedes and Friday with Sam. Depending on how those sessions go I might call the both of you back in next Monday, okay?"

"Okay." They both muttered together.

"Great, sounds like a plan."

WEDNESDAY

Mercedes spun a bracelet around her wrist as she waited impatiently for Dr. Roz to stop writing incessantly in her tablet. She hadn't even said a word yet but her therapist was writing what appeared to be a novel as if she had spilled every sordid detail from her whole 26 years. After what seemed like an eternity Dr. Roz finally stopped scribbling and focused her steely brown eyes on Mercedes.

"So, why are you here?"

Mercedes internally rolled her eyes at the stale, general question and gave the canned response that she already had prepared.

"I'm here because I recognize that I have issues that I cannot solve on my own. I want to be a better, more well-rounded person and in order to do that I must find out the root of my deep-seated issues."

Dr. Roz gave Mercedes a small, cold smile before uttering one word.

"Bullshit."

"Excuse me?"

"You're full of shit."

"You can't say that to me!"

"Actually I can, unless of course you're paying me to lie to you." Roz raised one eyebrow and regarded Mercedes coolly. "If you came here to bullshit me then you're wasting my time and yours. If you want help then fine, I'll do my best but if you came in here to please somebody else or to get them off of your back then you need to get out of my office, right now. I can't help you if you won't try and help yourself and I refuse to waste my time on you when I could be using it to help someone who really wants it instead. So again I ask, why are you here?"

Briefly, Mercedes considered not saying a word. There was a stubborn part of her that wanted so much to just walk out of the door but she knew that Dr. Roz was right. She was there for a reason and she didn't want to walk out of that door knowing that she still had all of those issues that she had walked in with.

"I don't trust him."

"Sam?"

Mercedes nodded, "It always comes back to this. I don't trust that he'll stick around and I'm terrified about having a baby with someone that I'm not 100% sure will be there…"

FRIDAY

Sam stared out the window and he could feel Dr. Roz's intense gaze boring into him. He tried to pretend that the generic gray building across the way was interesting enough to be holding his attention the way it was.

"So Sam, why are you here?"

Why was he here? He thought as he continued to look out the window. He didn't believe in the therapy, he never did. He didn't think that talking extensively about his feelings or whatever fucked issues he had was going to make them all better. He could pinpoint every screwed up situation in his life that led to him being here. The constant pressure from his dad to follow in his footsteps. The never ending animosity directed towards him from his brother. His mother's long sickness that wrecked and ravaged her body before finally killing her. His tumultuous relationship with Quinn. Mercedes leaving him…

He knew why he was fucked up, talking about it wasn't going to change anything.

"Sam?"

"I don't know," Sam answered finally turning to face her. "I have no fucking idea."

"Is it for her?"

"Which her?"

Roz chuckled lightly, "both of them."

Sam wanted to say no, that he was only doing it for his daughter but he knew that would be a lie. Mercedes was just as deeply ingrained in his heart as their unborn daughter was.

"Why did you leave three weeks ago?"

"Aren't you supposed to lead into that? Ask me about my bad childhood or my shitty relationships or something like that?"

"We'll get to all of that…eventually. Right now I want to know what was going through your mind when you left Mercedes three weeks ago."

"What did she say?"

"I can't tell you that, doctor/patient confidentiality. Just like I can't tell her any of the stuff you tell me."

"I don't know." Sam said finally after a long pause.

"You don't know? So you have no idea what was going through your mind that night?"

Sam stared at her stubbornly and she sighed. "Look Sam, regardless to what you seem to think, I am trying to help you and I think you want that help but you're too stubborn to admit it. You want to know why I'm not going waste our time recounting your entire childhood? Because you left for a reason three weeks ago and whatever that reason is if we get over that hump the rest will come. So why did you leave?

Sam looked at Dr. Roz for a long minute before finally pulling something from inside his pocket and slamming it on the coffee table in between them.

"Ah…I see." Roz said as she stared at the tiny box.

"I don't trust her," Sam said finally, "I want…everything with her but she doesn't want the same."

"How do you know?"

"That's just it, I don't know but I can't trust what she says over what she's shown. She says she loves me but the way she acts…

"Why did you leave three weeks ago Sam? What was the straw that finally broke the camel's back for you?"

WEDNESDAY

"I know I already asked you this in our other session but I'm asking it again now that Sam isn't here. How did you feel when he left?" Roz asked with her pen and pad ready in her lap.

"I told you before, I felt alone."

"And?"

"And…at first I was shocked but I was sure he was coming back. I figured seeing the baby for the first time was a bit overwhelming for him so he just needed to get some air or something but then he never came back."

"How long before you heard from him?"

"The next morning—well, he contacted me earlier than that but I had fallen asleep. He sent me a text saying that he was going to be staying at his condo for awhile a few hours after he left. That was the last thing I heard from him before he sent me another text this past Sunday telling me to meet him here. I wasn't going to come but then I got a call from my mother immediately after begging me to 'do it for the baby'." Mercedes rolled her eyes as she used two fingers to make air quotes.

"Does that upset you? Your mother inserting herself in this situation?"

"What—no…no, of course not. She means well, and she wants what's best for the baby and she has this idea that Sam and I could have this wonderful life together."

"You don't think so?"

"Not anymore. I did, but after everything…no, I don't think that anymore."

"Everything?"

Mercedes debated not saying anything but she knew it wouldn't be right to place all the blame on Sam's shoulders.

"It's a long story…"

"We've got time. Why don't you start from the beginning?'

"Well, my friend Emma was having a baby and she was leaving her job…"

FRIDAY

"Everything with Mercedes is so intense. We work hard, we play hard, we laugh hard, we love hard, we hate hard. When we were together, like really together and things between us were good I was happier than I've ever been in my life. But when things between us got bad…"

"They were really bad."

"It was excruciating. Waking up without her, being without her…it hurts" Sam rubbed his hand over his chest as if there was a physical ache there.

"And yet you chose to be without her." Dr. Roz reminded him gently.

"Not the first time," Sam answered harshly, "She left me first, did she tell you about that? She left me behind. I didn't choose that."

"How did that make you feel?"

"Angry…betrayed. She said she loved me but the second something happened she turned her back on me. She didn't let me explain, she didn't give me a chance to defend myself—she just left."

"So you wanted to get her back then, yes? You wanted her to feel all that anger and hurt she felt so you decided to pay her back." Dr. Roz said matter-of-factly.

"What? No! Where in the hell did you get that from?" Sam asked angrily. "I was mad at her yes, but I would never purposely do something like that to her. I wouldn't wish that kind of pain on my worst enemy, much less on the woman I lo—"

"On the woman you what?"

"The woman I love. I still love her, there's no question about that but there has been too much…I just can't see how we can make it."

Roz tilted her heads towards the little light blue box on the table between them.

"Why did you leave that night Sam?"

"She told me she wanted more…"

WEDNESDAY

"…And then he bought us a house—"

"How did that make you feel?" Dr. Roz interrupted, "he came to Miami and threatened you to come back, practically snatched you out of the life you created down there and then unceremoniously plopped you in a house as if you were a kept woman."

"I…I…"Mercedes stuttered as she blinked rapidly in confusion after being completely blindsided.

"He didn't take in consideration your feelings and he completely strong-armed you into accepting a house that you didn't want."

"Well, that isn't exactly true—"

"He's nothing but an insensitive, overbearing, bully who thinks he can—"

"DON'T TALK ABOUT HIM LIKE THAT!" Mercedes screamed, "You don't know a damn thing about him so don't you dare talk about him like that."

Dr. Roz smiled smugly as she sat back in her seat. "Forgive me Mercedes, I was just following your lead. If you don't believe all those things are true then why do you present it that way? You have just spent the last half hour bitching about all the things Sam did to you but when I practically parrot back what you're saying you can't stand it. Why is that?"

"Why are you playing games?"

"Why are you refusing to answer my question?"

"Which one?" Mercedes asked angrily, "Which vague overly-general question would you like me to answer?"

"Why did you leave? And before you start in with the Daddy thing, save it. It may have been part of the issue but it wasn't the root of the issue. You had a problem with Sam that had nothing to do with your father…what is it?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Cut the bullshit Mercedes, the daddy story may have worked on everyone else but it's not going to work with me. There was something else there, what was it?"

Mercedes could feel it—the need to escape. The unnamed fear was curling its icy tendrils around her neck and she just wanted to run. She wanted to get away from these feelings, she wanted to get away from Dr. Roz's incessant questions, she just wanted to get away.

Mercedes hands tightened on her purse beside her as she prepared to make a quick getaway but her hands immediately loosened when she saw Roz's eyes drift down to where they lay on her purse.

"Going somewhere?" Dr. Roz asked sarcastically, "you're free to leave Mercedes, nobody will stop you and this time no one will be running after you either. You're a pro at running away from your problems so why should now be any different?"

Mercedes felt tears pool in her eyes at Dr. Roz's harsh but true words. She was a pro at running away and somewhere along the line it had become her go-to response for pretty much everything. Things got too bad—she ran. Things were too good—she ran. Things look like they had a potential to go either way—she ran. She thought of all the relationships she missed out on and all the ones she sabotaged right before they went anywhere serious. Despite what Dr. Roz said she knew a lot of her issues with other men had a lot to do with her father but at the same time she knew that it was something else with Sam. Something that scared the hell out of her—scared her more than anything else.

"I wanted more." She whispered.

"What was that?" Roz asked her, "What did you say Mercedes?"

"I said," Mercedes said firmly looking Dr. Roz in the eye, "I wanted more. You asked me why I left and the answer is I wanted more. I wanted more and I thought he wanted nothing so I left before he could break my heart…"

FRIDAY

"She wanted more? Why is that a bad thing?" Dr. Roz asked.

"It's not…I just…" Sam tugged on his blonde hair in frustration, "I'm not explaining this right."

"Take your time."

"After the doctor's appointment we went back to the house and things got a little…heated."

"You two were about to have sex?"

"Uh…yes," Sam shifted uncomfortably in his seat, "things were escalating pretty quickly and she said that she wanted more."

"Well, I think it's safe to assume that she meant she wanted more from you physically, correct?"

"Yes."

"Well, then why did you leave? Why not just succumb or if sex isn't what you wanted then why not just cool things off and back away? Why take such drastic measures by leaving and staying gone for weeks?"

"Because she said she wanted more."

"Yes, but she meant—"

"I know what she meant!" Sam yelled, "I knew exactly what she meant when she said it but hearing it…"

"What?"

"I bought that," he gestured to the box on the table, "I bought that because I wanted more, because I wanted everything with her for the rest of my life. I wanted to marry her and she left me. She took off without a look back because she wanted nothing to do with me."

"Sam, I don't think it's that cut and dry."

"It probably isn't but that is what I felt and that is why I left. It was a complete overreaction but just hearing her say that she wanted more…I just, I don't know, I couldn't handle it."

"Why is that?"

"Because…why then? I had wanted that from her for months and the only time she could tell me that was when she wanted sex."

"Is that really a fair comparison? Can you really take something she said in the heat of the moment and use it against her?"

"You asked me how I felt." Sam answered defensively, "I never said it was rational or right but it is the way I felt. "

"Fine, fair enough. You were upset in the moment and you needed a second to breathe but why didn't you go back once you had some time away from her?"

"Have you ever been in love—like, really in love?"

"Not yet, no."

"It consumes you…I never realized how much until I was actually in real love. I thought I loved my ex-fiancé but I think I just clung to this idea of a perfect wife who could be a perfect mother because I wanted that family to replace the one I had lost. I didn't love her, I loved the idea of her. When that fell apart I was bitter—really bitter, and I think I confused that with a broken heart. I mean it hurt so that must've been what it was, right? That's what I kept telling myself anyway. When I finally healed from that debacle I foolishly thought I was strong because I had bounced back from a broken heart…I had no idea."

"No idea about what?"

"What a broken heart truly felt like…Mercedes showed me that." He answered grimly.

"What did it feel like to you?"

"Like someone punched me in the chest and ripped my heart out and left a gaping wound that ached all the time. It felt like I had everything one day and nothing the next and it was devastating. I didn't just lose the woman I loved, I lost my baby as well—I had lost my family all over again."

"Mmmm-hmmmm…." Dr. Roz murmured non-commitally.

"What does that mean?" Sam snapped, "I pour out my heart to you and all you can is mmmm-hmmm?"

Dr. Roz looked at him serenely before arching one perfect eyebrow and asking, "Why did you leave that night?"

"I already told you—"

"Tell me again. Why did you leave that night?"

"I left because…" He trailed off.

"Because?"

"I had it all. The woman of my dreams carrying my child, the house that she agreed to share with me, she was saying all the things I wanted to hear…"

"Then why did you leave? You had everything you wanted—why leave?"

"Because it was wrong."

"Why was it wrong?"

"Because it wasn't real—no, that's not the right word…it wasn't stable."

"Stable?"

"Yeah, it was like a soap bubble. It was perfect in that moment but at any time in any way it could be broken."

"Why do you believe that? If Mercedes was finally on the same page as you and she knew the whole truth what makes you think it wouldn't be stable any longer?"

"Because I don't trust what we have anymore. I know how I feel but I'm not sure about how she feels. Is she in love with me or does she just love me because of the baby? Does she really want to start a life with me or is she just saying that because she doesn't have anywhere else to go? Would she say yes if I asked her to marry me one day?"

"Why didn't you just ask her these questions?"

"Because I don't think my heart could take her answers."

"Ah, I see…"

WEDNESDAY

"I'm confused Mercedes, you wanted more but you still left? Wouldn't it have made more sense to stick around and fight for what you wanted instead of running away?"

"Rationally? Yes. But I was beyond rational at that point. I let my guard down with him and the second I did I was pummeled. Obviously hindsight is 20/20 and I know all the things I thought to be true were false but the pain was real. The idea that I was finally getting to a place were I was imagining forever with someone only to have it all snatched away was heartbreaking."

"So I can understand you leaving, but I don't understand you staying away."

"Well that is where my 'daddy issues' kick in at. I can honestly say that when I went to Miami my main thought was all about getting as far away from that painful situation as I could. I knew how if felt to be unwanted and I didn't want to feel that again and I didn't want my baby to feel it ever."

"Fair enough. So cutting out Sam makes sense, but what about your mother and your best friend."

Mercedes laughed humorlessly, "Even the most irrational have their moments of clarity. In the back of my mind there was this constant niggling doubt that I was wrong, that I was overreacting but I never paid attention to it, my stubbornness wouldn't let me. I wanted to feel justified in my actions so I ignored anything and anyone that would challenge them. I felt hurt, and angry, and betrayed and I wanted to keep feeling that way because feeling that way is what fueled me. It was all I had." Mercedes' voice broke as tears filled her eyes, "I got played and I fell for it. I turned my back on everyone I loved because I wasn't strong enough to deal with the possibility that the man I loved didn't truly love me back."

"Do you believe he loves you now?"

"I did, but then he left and…I don't know anymore." She answered sadly, "When we were in the doctor's office together I felt so happy. For the first time since I found out about this pregnancy I felt like a family…like I had created something with someone that I loved. Before I always thought of it as 'my baby' but at that doctor's office I finally felt as it were our baby."

"How did that make you feel?"

"So happy and so in love and…it was perfect, it was everything I could have wanted." Mercedes answered as tears slipped down her cheeks.

Dr. Roz plucked a few tissues from the small table beside her and handed them to Mercedes before asking, "what did you feel when he left?"

"I already answered this."

"Answer it again, please. What did you feel?"

"Like I had lost my family…like I had lost everything."

"Why don't you tell him that?"

"Because I don't know what we have anymore. I don't know if what we have is enough. I don't know if he loves me anymore."

"Why don't you just ask?"

"Because I don't know what his answer will be and it scares the hell out of me."

"Ah, I see…"

MONDAY

Roz stared at the two people in front of her and she couldn't help but notice a change. The tension was still there but it had decreased immensely. They were sitting closer together—still not touching, but still closer than they were before. They seemed lighter even though there continued to be a heaviness in the air between them. They were both alert, they were both paying attention, they were both in the moment.

They were ready. They were both ready to start fixing this mess that they had both created.

"So how about we cut to the chase, shall we? What brings you two to my office?"

Silence.

Roz watched her two patients closely and she observed how they were both actively fighting to not look at each other. They both wanted to speak but neither one of them wanted to break the silence so Roz decided to help them out.

"Why don't you go first Sam?"

Sam's green eyes widened slowly but he cleared his throat and prepared to speak. Roz chose him first because out of the both of them he was more willing to talk and she truly believed that once he started to open up Mercedes would quickly follow suit.

"I'm here because I love her." He said simply.

Roz watched as Mercedes big brown doe eyes filled with tears and she turned her head away so that nobody would see.

"I'm here because I miss her. I'm here because I don't want to miss watching my daughter grow inside of her. I'm here because I want a family—this family. I'm here because I can't live without her."

Roz found herself blinking back her own tears at his solemn words and she turned her attention to Mercedes who had given up all pretense of hiding and was looking at Sam will tears running down her face.

"Mercedes, what about you?"

"I'm here because I love him too," she began with tears thick in her voice, "I'm here because I'm sick of being afraid of things I can't control. I'm here because I'm terrified of messing this up again. I'm here because I don't want to do anything that will keep my daughter from having the family she deserves."

"Good, very good." Roz nodded and smiled and fought the urge to clap excitedly when she saw Sam reach across the couch and grab Mercedes' hand in his. These two needed work—so much work, both together and apart but for right now her work was done.

"Alright then, the two of you are free to go."

"What?"

"Excuse me?"

"The session is done, you can go home now."

"How is the session done, we've been here for five minutes?" Sam asked in confusion.

Roz smiled, "Trust me the therapy is nowhere near done for either one of you but for right now you need each other more than you need to talk to me."

"Wha—I don't understand." Mercedes said as she looked back and forth between Sam and Dr. Roz, "how can we be done? You finally got us to talk and now you're sending us home."

"I'm sending you home to talk—to each other. Doctor's orders. Your collective issues aren't the problem, but your lack of communication is. Just think about all of the things that could have been avoided if the two of you just talked to each other. No assumptions, no fears—just talk. Quit worrying about getting hurt and what the other person might do. Trust me on this, a good talk between the two of you will clear a lot of things up."

"And then what? One good talk and we're magically cured?" Sam asked.

"Heh, not even close. You'll never be 'cured', we as people grow and change too much to tie up our lives in little pretty boxes. That is why communication is key, people change, ideals change, feelings change…as long as you keep an open mind and communicate then you can change with it—together."

Roz watched as Mercedes intertwined her fingers with Sam's and asked him quietly, "come home…please?"

Sam smiled down at her before whispering back, "there's no where else I'd rather be."

Minutes later after thank yous were exchanged and schedules for follow-up sessions were made Roz sat in her high backed leather chair behind her desk and gave herself a well-deserved pat on the back. Sam and Mercedes were a long way from being 'fixed' but Roz was convinced that she had given them such a huge shove in the right direction that they had no choice but to keep going down that path.

She couldn't help but laugh to herself as she thought back to the excited way that Sam and Mercedes had left her office. She had no doubt that they would try her suggestion of talking but she wasn't going to fool herself into thinking that was going to last for a very long time. She gave them thirty minutes to an hour before their 'at home therapy' became decidedly sexual.

TUESDAY MORNING

"Mmmmmmmm…." Mercedes moaned into Sam's neck causing him to laugh at the ticklish vibrations.

"Good morning, sweetheart," He said in a throaty voice thick from sleep.

"Morning." Came the muffled reply from his neck.

"Did you have a good night, baby?"

"You were there…what do you think?"

"It was good, really good…"

6 HOURS EARLIER

"So where do you want to start?" Sam asked Mercedes. They were sitting on the couch in the living room on opposite sides facing each other.

Mercedes shrugged and tugged on her t-shirt, pulling it away from her bump. "I don't know what do you think?"

"I'm sorry," Mercedes looked up in surprise at Sam's words, "I shouldn't have left the way I did. I had a whole lot going on in my head and instead of handling it, I took off."

"Yeah…I know the feeling," she lamely joked. "Why did you leave?"

"I left because you told me you wanted more."

Mercedes looked at him with obvious confusion all over her face, "I was talking about I wanted more…well, you know. We had been making out forever and I needed to feel you—all of you and…wait, you didn't want to make love to me?" She asked in a hurt tone.

"Mercedes," Sam slid across the couch until he was right across from her and he grabbed her face in his hands, "you know that isn't true. If I could feel your body around me every second of every day I promise you I would, don't ever doubt that. You are the most beautiful thing in the world to me how could I now want to make love to you?"

"Um…wow," Mercedes said as she swallowed hard, "well, if that wasn't it then I don't understand what you meant."

"It's a long story but I…."Sam racked his brain trying to figure out how to tell her how he felt without spilling that he planned to propose to her one day, "Let's just say that hearing you say that was something I wanted to hear from you before everything went down and when you did finally say it, it was tainted by everything that came before it."

Mercedes hung her head in regret but Sam quickly put his fingers under her chin and lifted her head back up, "No, don't do that. We both did and said things we should be ashamed of but we're going to do better from now on, right?"

"Right."

"I love you Mercedes and I love our baby and I want us to be a family."

"I want that too."

"Really? Even when things get rough?"

"Even then. Dr. Roz was right our issues didn't break us up our lack of communication did. If we would have talked to each other and been honest from the beginning none of this would have ever happened."

"True."

"I want to live in this ridiculously large house with you and our baby and have a happy life."

"I want that too."

"I don't want my dad, or your brother or your crazy ex-fiancé to take that away from us."

"Me either."

"I don't want us to take that away from us either."

"We are our own worst enemies sometimes." Sam laughed.

"No more running—either one of us."

"No more running. No more hiding. We're in this together and we need to start acting like it."

"I agree."

"I love you Sam…I really, really love you and I'm terrified of losing you. That's why I ran, and that's why I was afraid to make any real commitment. I knew how strongly I felt for you and I thought if I protected myself then I wouldn't get hurt. I don't know why I am just now realizing that I spent all of my time preparing myself for something to happen. You were always going to disappoint me, you never had a chance…I set it up so that you would."

Sam sat back and took a minute to digest her words before finally saying, "I'm sorry."

"For what?" She asked him in surprise.

"For ever giving you a reason to doubt me. I was a complete and utter asshole when we first met and to be honest all I wanted to do was fuck you and get you out of my system. Don't beat yourself up for trying to protect yourself from me, you should have. I wasn't a good man and I didn't care that I wasn't one but now I want to be one. Not only because you deserve the best but because our little girl deserves the best as well. I'll be the first man that ever loves her and I want to make sure she knows it every single day so when she gets older and meets the man she is going to marry she'll know exactly how she deserves to be loved."

Sam reached his hands up and wiped at the tears that were trickling from the corner of Mercedes' eyes. "I'm sorry," she sniffled, "I swear I've cried more with this pregnancy than I have in my entire life!"

"It's okay," he chuckled, "it's only going to be happy tears from her on out."

"Promise?"

"I promise." With that Sam leaned forward and brushed his lips against hers before moving back and smiling at her. He moved to get up but Mercedes grabbed his shirt and tugged him closer. She took his face in his hands and looked at him with a deliberate look in her eyes and said, "I want more."

"Mercedes, I don't want to rush into anything…"

"Do you want me or not?"

"You know I want you."

"Good then shut up and kiss me."

Sam hesitated only a second longer before he moved forward and captured her lips with his again. They both moaned at the contact and the kiss instantly deepened. With their lips still connected Mercedes managed to maneuver herself that she was straddling Sam on the couch. She ground her hips in Sam and he tore his lips away from hers before groaning loudly against her neck.

"Not here," He panted, as he moved to get off the couch. Mercedes tried to get off of him but he tightened his hands on her hips and lifted her up as he stood. He gave her a quick tap on the ass so that she would wrap her legs around his waist.

"Mmmm….put me down, I'm too heavy."

"Shut up, Mercedes," Sam growled as he dug his fingers into her ass, "don't you know by now that I can handle you?"

Mercedes giggled and decided to just enjoy the ride. Those days in the gym paid off because Sam carried her through the house and up the stairs with ease. Once he reached the second floor he kicked Mercedes' bedroom door open and walked a few steps in and dropped her on the bed. She scooted back and watched as he ripped his shirt off and made quick work of his pants and underwear. Mercedes practically mewled at the sight of is taut body in all of its glory and she squeezed her thighs together to try and stop the ache that was growing there.

"You are wearing far too many clothes," Sam muttered in a husky voice and he grabbed her by the ankles and slid her back down the bed towards him. He yanked on the tie of her wrap dress and the silky black dress fell open showing her dark rose bra and panty set underneath. Sam's heated gaze momentarily softened as he took in Mercedes' ever growing baby bump. He ran his large hand over stomach before leaning forward and kissing it sweetly and saying, "how's Daddy's baby girl?"

Mercedes' heart melted at the question and she brought Sam's face back up to hers and kissed him thoroughly.

"I love you," She whispered against his mouth.

"I love you too," He grunted as he quickly divested her of her bras and shoved his thumbs in the sides of her underwear and yanked them off.

Once they were both undressed Sam pushed her back gently until her knees hit the back of the bed and she sat down on it. He advanced on her slowly causing her to scoot back down the bed again until she was lying flat on her back and he was hovering over her. He started kissing her on her neck and he worked down to her breasts and over her stomach until he was down to her parted thighs. Mercedes breath started to come out unnaturally loud and she let out a startled squeal when she felt Sam's warm tongue caressing her slick folds. She didn't know if it were the pregnancy or if it was because she had been without him for so long but everything felt heightened. She felt as if she could feel every hair on her scalp and every pore on her skin.

Sam's lips and tongue were a thing of magic and between the feeling of his plump lips sucking on her clit and his large, warm hands running over her body Mercedes came almost violently. Her whole body was shaking and she felt as if she was floating but she came back to earth quickly when she felt Sam slid inside her.

"Oh fuck, baby," he groaned as he waited for her body to adjust to his size, "you're even tighter than I remember."

Mercedes moaned at his words and unbelievably she felt herself becoming aroused again. She tightened her legs around Sam and she felt him start to move slowly. As he moved in and out he placed his forehead against hers and she could feel his warm, rapid breathing against her lips. He grabbed her hands and intertwined their fingers before putting them over her head.

"Do you feel that," He murmured against her lips, "do you feel how perfectly we fit together?"

"Mmmmm….yes," Mercedes moaned loudly as Sam started to pound into her harder.

"You were made for me," Sam groaned out, "do you understand you are mine and I'm yours."

"Yes," Mercedes answered breathlessly.

"Fuuuuuuuucccckkkk," Sam said on a long drawn out note as he came inside Mercedes and she moaned loudly as she clutched frantically at his damp hair.

Minutes later when they had both recovered enough to be coherent they looked at each other and laughed breathlessly.

"Well, we still got it." Sam chuckled.

"Uh-uh, we were good but we weren't this damn good."

The bed shook with their laughter and it wasn't too long before the laughs turned into sleepy grins and within a few minutes they were both asleep.

TUESDAY MORNING

"I'm hungry," Sam stated as he yawned widely, "somebody kept waking me up in the middle of the night but I'm not going to say any names."

"Ha, ha, very funny. I didn't see you complaining."

"Trust me, I'll never complain about that." Sam laughed.

He laid back on the bed and he closed his eyes in contentment. Life, in his opinion, didn't get any better.

He felt Mercedes running her fingers across his chest but she was strangely quiet. He opened his eyes to look at her and he found her watching him intently.

"You okay baby?"

"Yeah…I have a question and it's something I want you to take serious, okay?"

"Okay." He sat up and she followed suit, "you know you can ask me anything, right?"

"Good." She smiled at him but he could tell she was nervous. "I love you Sam."

"I love you too Mercedes," he smiled at her slightly, confused as to where the conversation was going.

Mercedes played with his fingers for a minute and when she looked back up at him her eyes shone with tears. "You mean everything to me…I know I haven't always shown it but you do. And I just…I love you more than anything and I just wanted to know…will you marry me?"

Sam looked at Mercedes for a long minute and he briefly considered pinching himself because he knew he had to be dreaming.

"What did you just say?"

"I said…marry me."


	28. Promise?

"YOU DID WHAT?!?!?!?"

Mercedes cringed at the sound of her best friend's shrill voice splitting her ear drums.

"You don't have to yell Kurt," she sighed rubbing her temples, "I'm right here."

"I'm sorry…no, I'm not sorry. What in the hell were you thinking!"

It had been one week since her ill thought out and hastily blurted proposal and the mere mention of it still made her cringe. It took seven long days before she even got up the nerve to tell someone and she was rapidly beginning to wish she hadn't.

"So what happened?" Kurt demanded, "I don't see a ring on your finger but then again I guess I wouldn't since you proposed to him! Does he have a ring on his finger?"

Mercedes glared at Kurt before answering defensively, "Hey! Women propose all the time!"

"No they don't." Kurt answered bluntly.

"Yes they do."

"Name one."

"Uh….um…"

"Um, nothing. You can't think of one single person."

"Not off the top of my head, no." Mercedes answered stubbornly, "But if you give me a minute I'm sure I can think of someone."

"Mmmm-hmmm," Kurt hummed while giving her a side-eye. His phone buzzed and he grabbed it from his pocket and quickly read the message on it with a furrowed brow. He stared at his phone for a moment longer before asking, "so, what happened?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing? What do you mean nothing?"

"Exactly that…nothing."

1 WEEK AGO…

"I said…marry me."

Mercedes held her breath as she watched the emotion flit across Sam's face. His green eyes were wide and his plump pink, kiss swollen lips formed a perfect 'O'. As the seconds ticked by without a sound from Sam the ball of dread in her stomach began to grow. Sam's mouth opened and shut several times but no sound came out and the longer the silence stretched the worse Mercedes felt. What the hell was she thinking?

Mercedes frantically searched her mind for the least painful and humiliating way out of her current situation but she couldn't think of anything. Her throat felt tight and it constricted painfully as she stared into Sam's unreadable green eyes.

"I…I…I…" Mercedes stammered, "I didn't mea—"

RING! RING! RING!

Mercedes choppy words were cut off by the sound of the shrill ring coming from Sam's cell phone on the bedside table. She breathed an internal sigh of relief and averted her gaze from Sam's intense stare.

"What?" He snapped causing Mercedes to turn her gaze back to him

"No…no…no, that meeting wasn't scheduled until later this week…it was rescheduled? Why in the hell wasn't I informed? What do you mean you didn't know you were supposed to? It's your job! What time did you reschedule the meeting to?" Sam glanced at the clock and sighed heavily as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "That is less than an hour from now," he said through gritted teeth, "Is there anything else you forgot to tell me? You know what, just forget it, if you did I don't want to hear about it right now. Just make sure the clients are taken care of—food, drink, whatever they want. Also make sure you apologize for my tardiness. Can you handle that? I'll be there as soon as I can."

Sam pushed the end button harshly before dropping the phone back on the bedside table and running his hand roughly over his face.

"She's an idiot," he spat out, "she rescheduled those clients a week ago and she waits until five minutes before they show up to tell me about it."

Sam sighed heavily again before looking back at Mercedes and his hard green eyes immediately softened as he searched her face. He reached up his ran the back of his hand down her cheek before whispering, "I'm sorry, I have to go."

"It's fine," she whispered back, "you're already late, you should go."

Sam watched her face for a moment longer before leaning forward and pressing a gentle but firm kiss to her lips.

"I love you," he breathed against her lips.

"I love you too."

Sam's eyes continued to bore into Mercedes' and she shifted uncomfortably on the bed and averted her gaze again. She felt the mattress move as Sam got out bed and made his way to the foot where his scattered clothes were located. Out of the corner of her eye she watched as he pulled on his boxer and pants and she couldn't help but appreciate the muscles in his back and biceps as they contracted with the movement. It was good to know that her crippling humiliation did nothing to squelch her libido. She let out a tiny whimper as Sam's pants slid over his firm ass and he quickly turned to find her watching him. Mercedes face grew hot but the rest of her body followed suit and Sam gave her a slow, almost lecherous grin. He crawled on the bed up towards her until she was forced to lay back on the pillows as he hovered over her. He captured her mouth with his again but this time he wasn't gentle. She moaned loudly into his mouth as his heavy body pressed hers into the bed. Sam ground his clothed lower body into hers and the feeling of his slightly scratchy trousers sliding against her sensitive naked skin had her arching off of the bed.

"Sam," she moaned into his throat, "please…"

Sam glanced over at the alarm clock beside the bed before muttering, "fuck it," and quickly pulling away from her and sliding his pants and boxers back down his legs. He climbed back on top of her and they both groaned at the contact.

"Fuck that meeting," he breathed into her mouth, seconds before slamming into her.

PRESENT DAY

"Whew…" Kurt leaned up against the kitchen counter and fanned himself dramatically, "Girl, you need to re-learn what nothing means because I can assure you that was not nothing!"

"Focus, Kurt!" Mercedes snapped in frustration, "so what we had sex? We've had sex every night since then but we haven't said a word to each other about what happened. We don't just…talk."

"Well, if he can put it down like that do you really need to talk?"

"Kurt…" Mercedes said again in a low voice full of warning.

"Sorry," he muttered while putting his hands up in a gesture of surrender, "I promise I'll keep my mind out of the gutter."

"Good. So, I'm taking Sam lunch today at the office and my plan is to talk about it with him then."

"Why?" Kurt blurted out loudly, "I mean…is it really necessary?"

"What do you mean?"

"It's just…look, you had a moment of hormonal temporary insanity, we've all done it.. Is it really necessary for you to bring it back up?"

Mercedes narrowed her eyes at her best friend, something was off with him but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

"Why are you being weird?"

"I'm not." Kurt answered defensively, "I just don't think it's a good idea to bring up the whole proposal thing."

As Kurt finished speaking his phone buzzed loudly in his pocket and he quickly averted his gaze to read a text message.

"You were one of the main ones telling me over and over again that Sam and I should talk but now you're saying we shouldn't"

"About this? No, you shouldn't. If you managed to escape that potentially epic awkward situation and get back to normal, why in the hell would you want to go back to the awkward place?"

"Well, I just think that…am I interrupting an important conversation?" She snapped, annoyed as she watched her friend turn his attention back to his phone the second she started taking.

Kurt typed out a quick messaged before jerking his eyes from his phone guiltily and murmuring a quiet apology.

"Anyways," she said pointedly, 'as I was saying, I don't think that keeping this thing between us is a good idea. Our therapist told us we should talk about everything and I—"

"Not this," Kurt interrupted, "this…I just really think you should wait on this, okay?"

Mercedes narrowed her eyes at him again, "are you sure you're okay? You don't sound like yourself." She asked suspiciously.

"I'm fine! I'm just looking out for you. What can I say? I'm over-protective. I don't want you to be hurt or upset especially now with the baby."

"Okay..." She answered even though she didn't really believe that was the whole story but she didn't want to badger her best friend so she walked around the counter and planted a soft kiss on his cheek. "Thank you for looking out for me Kurt, I promise that I'll let it go…for now."

"Good." Kurt gave her a wide smile and tapped out another quick message on his phone before sliding it into his back pocket. "So now that we got that out of the way what are you going to wear to your afternoon delight—er, I mean your lunch date?"

Mercedes grabbed his hand and dragged him towards the stairs leading to her room, "what in the hell do you think I called you over here for?"

Two hours later Mercedes was walking through the lobby of the newly named Evans Advertising Company and she couldn't help but feel a pang as she surveyed the surroundings of her old job. She really missed this place and if she were honest with herself she would admit that she really wanted to back at work. She knew she told Sam it would be a bad idea for them to work together but it was so hard to remember the reasons why when her job was once again a tangible thing and not just a distant memory.

"Mercedes?"

The timidly spoken question broke Mercedes out of her reverie and she turned to find Mrs. Halbright hurrying towards her.

With a big smile Mercedes went forward to meet her former co-worker halfway and once they were within arm's distance of each she enveloped the older woman in a big hug. After a long embrace, Mrs. Halbright stepped out of it and regarded Mercedes with bright shiny, tear filled eyes. As her eyes wandered down Mercedes torso she gasped audibly at the sight of her rounded belly and she covered her mouth with her hand.

"Oh my God…look at you," Mrs. Halbright murmured almost reverently, "you look so beautiful Mercedes, pregnancy truly does agree with you."

"Thank you so much, Linda. How have you been?"

"Good…better now that you're here." Linda's eyes traveled down to Mercedes hands as she finally noticed the two large take-out bags she was carrying. "Oh! Let me get those for you, honey."

"I'm fine," Mercedes laughed, "It's just a couple of sandwiches and some chips and cookies."

"From that deli Sam loves so much?"

"Of course, I wouldn't dare go anywhere else."

The women laughed as the made their way to the elevator banks. They got in the one that led to Sam's office and Linda quickly put in the code before turning to Mercedes and saying, "I'm so glad you came…especially today."

"Why especially today?" Mercedes asked in a worried tone, "did something happen?"

Linda's featured darkened noticeably before she started speaking.

"Tami, Sam's latest assistant, is useless. I wonder day in and day out what that girl does with her time all day long because it isn't work. She messed up a meeting last week and this week she did it again! It was bad enough that it happened last week but this week it had catastrophic results."

"What do you mean?"

"After weeks of cancellations and tardiness the customer finally had enough and they pulled out of the deal. Sam missing the meeting he knew nothing about was the straw that broke the camel's back."

"Which client was it?"

"Black Pearl Corporation."

Mercedes audibly gasped because she knew all too well about the importance of the deal because she was the one that made initial contact and got the ball rolling.

"That was a multi-million dollar deal!" Mercedes responded angrily, "Sam has been working on getting that account for months!"

'Honey, I know it. I felt so bad for him this morning. He has been trying to get in contact with somebody…anybody from Black Pearl but nobody is taking his calls. I fear this may be a lost cause." She shook her head sadly. "Anyways, I need to get back to my office so I can start looking into employments sites to see if I can find a suitable candidate for the job I'm sure is going to be vacant before the day is done."

Mercedes smiled in response but she couldn't ignore the sharp pang again at the thought of another more qualified assistant doing her job.

"That's nice, I hope your job search is productive."

"Thank you sweetheart," Linda responded kindly just as the door to the 110th floor slid open. "Don't be a stranger, do you hear me?"

"Yes, ma'am." Mercedes answered as she leaned forward to give Linda a quick hug before stepping off the elevator.

She walked into the office that she knew so well but she was brought up short but a short blonde standing in front of her with icy blue eyes blocking her path.

"May I help you?" Tami snapped rudely.

Mercedes raised her eyebrows and took a deep, calming breath before plastering a fake smile on her face and saying, "Hello, I'm Mercedes, I brought lunch for Sam."

"Fine, just sit it on the desk. I'll make sure he gets it."

The fake smile melted off of Mercedes face and she gritted her teeth in an effort not to go off on the bitchy girl standing in front of her.

"Let me rephrase that," Mercedes stated firmly, "I'm here to eat lunch with Sam."

"And who exactly are you again?"

"Mercedes."

Both women turned at the sound of the gruff voice coming from the doorway to their left. Mercedes caught the quick crestfallen expression on Tami's face before she turned and gave Sam a big smile.

"Mr. Evans' I was taking care of—"

"What's going on?" Sam snapped, glaring at Tami.

The smile quickly disappeared as Tami stammered, "I…I…was making sure…I didn't want…I know you didn't want to be dis-s-s-turbed…."

"I didn't want to be disturbed by you. Not unless you got the clients back. Have you?"

"No…not yet."

"Great." Sam muttered rudely under his breath as he rolled his eyes. His hard gaze shifted to Mercedes and his cool green eyes instantly softened.

"This," he said pointedly to Tami, "is my girlfriend Mercedes, from now on whenever she comes she is to be let in with no issues no matter what. Understood?"

"Yes sir."

Sam took the two bags from Mercedes and gathered them both in one hand before grabbing her hand with the other. She spared a quick glance at Tami when they walked by and she noticed the blonde looking at the clasped hands with a slight sneer on her face.

Mercedes concern about Tami quickly went away because the second they stepped in the office Sam took the two bags and set them on a chair next to door and then almost immediately after he grabbed Mercedes face in his hands and nudged her body backwards until she was trapped up against the door.

He pressed his forehead against hers and closed his eyes for a second. When he opened them Mercedes could feel the warm breath coming from his mouth as he whispered, "Hi" against her moist lips.

"Hi," She whispered back before planting and soft kiss against his lips. Sam smiled slightly at the contact but the worrisome furrow between his brow was still there so Mercedes reached up and smoothed it away with her fingers.

"This day has been hell."

"I know baby," she whispered sympathetically, "…what happened?"

"Tara or whatever her name is has proven yet again what an imbecile she is. I have been trying to get that account for months and in one day she ruined it!"

"What happened?" Mercedes asked again in a soothing voice.

Sam sighed before grabbing the deli bags from the chair and leading her over to the couch.

"Remember that account that I have been trying to get with Black Pearl Corp? It was going to be print ads, TV, radio, internet, the whole nine, remember?"

"Yeah, I remember."

"Well we were finally getting into the final stages of the deal, I mean I could have had them signed today but that idiot," he spat out as he pointed at the door, "started cancelling meetings left and right for no apparent reason! Her excuse was I seemed stressed so she cleared my schedule of what she deemed 'unimportant' meetings so that I could have a little time to myself."

Mercedes cringed at Sam's re-telling of the story. That girl really was an idiot.

"Anyway, they finally had enough and who can blame them? There was a meeting this morning but she rescheduled it on my schedule but didn't bother to tell the clients and reschedule with them so they were here at 8 am sharp and I wasn't scheduled to be in until 9. Unlike last time the idiot didn't even bother calling me so they sat in the conference room for about 45 minutes before leaving. I've been trying to get in touch with them for hours but they won't return my calls. I can't say I blame them, if it had been me I would have backed out of the deal a long time ago."

Sam rubbed the bridge of his nose warily before turning his attention to Mercedes. A small smile flitted across his face as he took her in.

"You look beautiful today."

"Thank you, all the credit goes to Kurt."

"The outfit is nice but that isn't want makes you beautiful."

"Awww," she whispered before giving him a quick kiss on the cheek, "I won't tell Kurt you said that because he would lose his shit."

Sam gave a tired half-hearted laugh that tugged at Mercedes' heart-strings. This situation was really wearing on him and it showed. She got up from the couch and collected their food from the small side table that Sam placed it on. She pulled out their sandwiches and handed Sam his. He unwrapped it quickly and groaned audibly at the sight of the saucy, cheesy meatball sub sandwich.

"It looks good…so damn good."

Mercedes laughed at his enthusiasm, "it's from that deli you like so much, I only got it a few minutes ago so it should still be hot."

"Mmmmm, thanks baby," Sam murmured before taking a big bite from his sandwich.

The two fell into silence as they began munching on the sandwiches and chips. Before long Mercedes was picking at her food as the urge to talk about the proposal that wasn't almost overwhelmed her. She opened her mouth to speak but Kurt's words came back to haunt her,

"If you managed to escape that potentially epic awkward situation and get back to normal, why in the hell would you want to go back to the awkward place?"

Kurt was right, the whole proposal thing could made things so awkward for them but because of Sam completely ignoring it things have went back to normal. Maybe she should be grateful for the fact the proverbial wound is healing and acknowledge the fact that it's happening because she isn't picking at the proposal scab.

"Why aren't you eating?"

Mercedes looked up from picking at her chips to find Sam watching her worriedly.

"Are you okay…you don't feel sick do you? I can find you something else to eat if—"

"I'm fine…I just ate breakfast a little while ago with Kurt, that's all."

"Oh, okay. Sorry, I'm overreacting."

"Don't be, it's sweet. Now eat up before your food gets cold."

15 minutes later Sam laid back on the couch and he patted his full stomach. After clearing all of the trash out of the way, Mercedes curled in beside him and laid her legs across his lap and seconds later he placed his large hand on her belly and started rubbing gently.

"Has she been moving around a lot today?"

"Not too much, although she was going crazy when Kurt was there. I have a feeling that she's going to love him so much."

"I wouldn't doubt it, I just hope I don't have to get an extra storage unit for all the clothes I'm sure he's going to buy her."

"Him? He's not the one you have to worry about!" Mercedes laughed as she pointed to herself, "besides I don't know even know why you're trying to front we all know if anybody is going to be spoiling this baby it's going to be you."

Sam didn't respond but the smile on his face got even wider as he continued rubbing lazy circles on Mercedes belly. They sat like that for a few minutes more but before long Sam's hand stilled and his face had darkened noticeably.

"Babe, what's wrong?"

"I just…I hate it so fucking much that I lost that account." He muttered darkly, "all that work, all the plans…and I don't have a damn thing to show for it."

"I'm sorry," Mercedes murmured apologetically.

"Don't be, it's not your fault. Although, speaking of which I need to go downstairs and talk to Mrs. Halbright about how the job search is going. I need Tamera out of here as soon as possible."

"Tami."

"What?"

"Your assistant's name is Tami, not Tamera," Mercedes answered with a laugh.

"Oh…well, it doesn't matter. Her name is about to be 'unemployed' very soon as far as I'm concerned. Will you be alright up here for a few minutes by yourself?"

"I think I'll manage." Mercedes said with a playful eye roll.

"I won't be but a minute," Sam said before lifting her legs of his lap and leaning over and giving her a kiss on the lips. He gently placed her legs back down on the couch and he bent down and gave her another loud smacking kiss that had her giggling. He smiled down at her but the smile didn't quite reach his eyes and it made Mercedes angry. She watched as he walked out of the office. Once he was out she got up from the couch and went over to his desk. All of the files concerning the Black Pearl Corp. deal were strewn all across his desk. She scanned the paperwork and she noticed that several of the sheets of paper had her handwriting scribbled on them. They were the notes that she had taken when she first got in contact with the company. BPC was an advertisers dream and she had to work to even get her foot in the door but she was relentless and because of that Sam all but had the account. Just being faced with all of the work she had pored into getting this account was enough to have rage building up inside her, the same rage that she was sure Sam was feeling. They had both worked too damn hard for this account to slip through the company's fingers because of one incompetent assistant.

Mercedes shook the anger off and got down to business. She poured over all of her notes and within a couple of minutes she finally found what she was looking forward. It was a number to the assistant of the CEO of BPC. The two of them instantly hit it off when they talked before and Mercedes was sure that if she could get through to her Sam might still have a chance.

Mercedes dialed the number and within seconds she heard a sweet, high-pitched voice on the other end of the line.

"Walter Pearl's office, this is Molly speaking, how may I help you?"

"Molly?" Mercedes asked excitedly, "this is Mercedes from Evans Advertising, how are you?"

There was a long pregnant pause on the other end.

"Um, it's good to hear from you Mercedes. I was under the impression you were no longer with the company."

"I'm not….I wasn't…I've been out of town for the last few months but that's not important. I'm here now and I was hoping we could work something out."

"I'm sorry Mercedes but I don't think it's possible. Mr. Pearl was really looking forward to doing business with Mr. Evans but after getting the run around for weeks he is ready to move on with someone else."

"Has he gone with another firm yet?"

"Um…I'm not really at liberty to say."

"Come on, Molly. It's just a simple yes or no question."

Another long pause.

"No." Molly finally answered quietly.

"So there is still a chance?"

"Honestly, I don't know. Mr. Pearl is pissed off and frankly he feels like the trust has been broken."

"I understand that completely but that wasn't Sam that was his assistant. I can assure you though that she will no longer be an issue."

"No?"

"No. Sam is in the process of getting another assistant right now."

"Well…" Molly hedged, "who's to say that the new assistant won't be just as bad as the last?"

"He or she won't be."

"Can you guarantee that? If I stick my neck out with my boss and tell him to come back to do a deal where he was disrespected only to have it happen again that would be my ass on the line. I just don't know if I can risk that Mercedes."

"I…I'll be there, I'm his assistant again." Mercedes knew she was putting the cart before the horse but desperate times called for desperate measures.

"Wha—I thought you just said he was finding someone else?"

"I'm sorry my fault, I meant to say he already found someone else…me."

"Well, in that case Mr. Pearl may be more open to having a meeting if he knew he would be dealing in part with you again. Give me a minute to see if I can work some magic."

"Thank you so much, Molly."

"Don't thank me just yet," Molly cautioned, and with those parting words she put her on hold. For five minutes Mercedes nervously tidied Sam's desk as she waited for the verdict. Sam's company would be just fine with or without the account but she knew how important it was to him and if nothing else she wanted it for him.

After what seemed like an eternity Molly finally came back on the line.

"Mercedes, you still there?"

"Yes, I'm here. What did Mr. Pearl say?"

"You're in luck. He is willing to meet with Sam and he is still at his hotel in New York for a few more hours. He said if you and Sam would come and meet him he would be willing to listen to the proposal. The only catch is you have to be there within the hour otherwise the deal is off completely and there will be no more chances."

"We'll be there," Mercedes answered quickly, "let Mr. Pearl know we will definitely be there."

Molly gave her the details of where Mr. Pearl was staying along with a warning reminding Mercedes that this would be the last chance. Once off the phone Mercedes quickly gathered up all of the information pertaining to the BPC account and she shoved it back in its folder. She did a quick scan of the office to make sure she didn't miss anything important before picking up the phone to call Mrs. Halbright's office to see if Sam was still there. After a quick conversation she found out that Sam had already left her office and she prayed that he was on his way back and she wouldn't have to go find him. The hotel wasn't too far away but Mercedes didn't want to risk it so as far as she was concerned they needed to leave immediately.

Not even a minute later Mercedes heard Sam's deep voice outside the office, she breathed a sigh of relief and quickly scooped up the folder as well as her purse and headed towards the door to meet Sam.

"Not now Tasha." She heard Sam say loudly as he got closer to his office door, "I told you I didn't want to be bothered unless you had the BPC account back."

"Mr. Evans, please listen, I have something better than the BPC account."

"What is it?"

"It's this up and coming business—"

"Will it be a multi-million dollar deal?"

"Well, no but—"

"Then I don't want to hear it!"

"Mr. Evans, please, I'm just trying to make this right and—"

Mercedes couldn't help but roll her eyes at the whiny woman and neither she nor Sam had time to listen to her. She opened the door wide and the angry look on Sam's face melted away into one of surprise while a sneer appeared on Tami's.

"Are you leaving," Sam asked in confusion as he noticed that Mercedes had her purse slung over her shoulder.

"Yes, and so are you."

"Mercedes, trust me I would love nothing more than to go home with you right now, but I have to keep working on the BPC account."

"You mean this BPC account?" Mercedes asked as she waved the folder in Sam's face.

"What are you doing with that?" Tami snapped, "that is confidential business information that only employees are privy to."

"First of all what I'm doing is cleaning up your mess, and secondly you're right only employees should be privy to this information which is why I'm taking my job back."

"Excuse me?" Tami asked incredulously while Sam looked at Mercedes in surprise with a slight smile playing across his lips.

"You heard me, Tami. You've been replaced."

"Who are you? You don't have the right to tell me what to do. Fucking the boss doesn't give you the power to do anything."

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Sam yelled as he whirled around to face Tami, "You're fired and you would've been whether Mercedes wanted her job back or not."

"What? You…you can't…you can't fire me!"

"I just did." Sam answered coldly as he pressed a button on his phone that Mercedes knew alerted security, "you have 15 minutes to clean out your desk and security will be escorting you out."

"So I just lost my job because your baby mama," she spat out in disgust, "told you she wanted it back as if were just some toy she discarded?"

"No you lost your job because you're incompetent. You cost me a multi-million dollar deal, not to mention you have made me look bad with numerous other clients. I just spent the last 20 minutes with Mrs. Halbright scouring employment websites looking for a replacement. You being let go has nothing to do with my 'baby mama' and everything to do with your lack of professionalism. After today, you were going to be gone one way or the other."

Tami looked wildly between the two of them and her eyes narrowed dangerously, "I'll sue, you can't just fire me without cause."

Sam rolled his eyes, "I really, really wish you would try and take this to court. If you genuinely think that you are some great employee that is being wrongly accused then by all means do what you have to."

After a few seconds Tami huffed in disgust before practically growling out, "fuck it, it's not worth it anyway."

"I didn't think it would be." Sam answered smugly, "Get your things Tami, security will be here soon."

"Well, we won't be around to see it." Mercedes interjected.

"Why not?"

Mercedes held up the folder in the hands, "Remember me saying I was cleaning up Tami's mess?"

"Yes," Sam answered as Tami gave out another loud huff in annoyance.

"I just got off the phone with Walter Pearl's assistant and after a little begging and pulling strings he agreed to meet with us."

"Us?"

"Well, I told Molly, his assistant, that I was working for you again. She wouldn't have put in a good word for us if I hadn't done that."

"So are you?"

"What?"

"Working for me again?"

Sam's green eyes were twinkling in amusement and Mercedes knew he was teasing her.

"It depends. Am I eligible for re-hire?"

"I'm sure we can arrange something."

"Well, if you'll take me back then I'm all yours."

"Promise?" Sam's tone turned from teasing to serious in a fraction of a second and Mercedes felt that she was giving an answer to more than just the current question.

"Promise."

The two stared at each other for a long minute but the slamming of drawers and cursing coming from Tami ruined their moment.

"We have to go," Mercedes said quietly, "Mr. Pearl only gave us an hour to get to that meeting and that was almost 10 minutes ago."

A ding rang out announcing someone's arrival and a second later the elevator door swung open and there were two gruff looking security guards inside. Tami visibly blanched when she saw them and all of her earlier bravado instantly vanished.

"Let her finish getting the rest of her things and then escort her out the building."

"Yes, sir." The two guards answered simultaneously.

Sam grabbed Mercedes towards the elevator and without a backwards glance at his former employee he stepped onto the elevator. Once inside he backed up until his back hit the far wall of the elevator and he tugged Mercedes until she was flush against his body.

"So it's me and you again, huh?"

"Don't get cocky." Mercedes instructed even though she could see that smug smile crossing his face. "I'm only doing this because you need me."

"I'll always need you," Sam whispered in her ear as he nuzzled the side of her face. Mercedes felt her knees get slightly week at the feel of his damp breath against her neck.

Mercedes pulled back a bit and she looked in his eyes and that same serious, deep look was back in his eyes. She felt at a disadvantage because she had the distinct feeling that they were having an underlying conversation that she didn't know the topic to. She knew what she wanted him to be talking about but after her failed marriage proposal and Kurt's latest advice she felt a little unsure of where they stood. Instead of running the risk of humiliating herself for a second time she decided to take the coward's way out and change the subject.

"So, about BPC…."

An hour and half later Mercedes and Sam found themselves inside another elevator in a hotel not too far away. As soon as the door slid shut Sam let out a large whoop and he reached forward and picked Mercedes up and spun around with her.

"Sam!" She squealed, "Put me down!"

"Sorry, I'm just so…can you believe we pulled that off?"

"You were amazing, of course I can believe it." She answered with a huge smile on her face.

Sam grabbed her face and gave her a big smacking kiss on the lips.

"Thank you so much," he whispered as he pressed his forehead against hers, "I couldn't have done this without you."

"You're welcome," she answered shyly, "I'm glad I could help."

Sam gathered her in a hug and they stayed like that until the elevator's ding announced their arrival to the lobby. Sam grabbed her hand and led her towards the valet where their driver and car were waiting.

"So shall we celebrate tonight?" Mercedes asked excitedly, "somewhere super duper fancy where we can get some overly expensive small-portioned food that neither one of us will actually eat. A glass of champagne for you, something non-alcoholic for me...what do you say?"

"I'm sorry babe but we can't. I have to finalize some details on the account and you have that thing with Kurt."

"I have what thing with Kurt?"

"Some thing…a thing, I don't know what." He answered evasively typing a quick text on his phone, "You don't remember telling me about it? We talked about it quite a bit a few nights ago. It must be that whole 'pregnancy brain' thing."

Mercedes glared at Sam and his 'pregnancy brain' reference. Can't a girl forget a few things without it having to be linked to some hormonal issue?

"I don't have pregnancy brain," she snapped, "if I had plans with Kurt I would have remembered."

Sam gave her a bland smile, "I'm sure you would have, honey."

"Don't patronize me, Sam." Mercedes warned, "if you don't want to go out tonight we don't have to."

"It's not that, it's just I have a lot of work and I'll be at it late and—"

"It's fine."

"I'm sure you and Kurt will have a nice night out together."

"Me and Kurt don't have plans!" Mercedes answered angrily but she was cut short from saying more from the buzzing coming from her iPhone clutched in her hand. She looked at the screen and saw that she had a new text message from Kurt:

Hey sweetie, just checking to make sure we're still on for tonight. I'm picking the spot, remember? Be ready by 7:30. XO

Mercedes' felt her face grow hot in embarrassment as she read the text. Had she really forgotten plans with Kurt? She made such a fuss about not forgetting things and now she felt like an ass.

She glanced up to find Sam watching her expectedly, "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah its fine, I guess you're right, I do have plans with Kurt tonight." She answered sheepishly.

"That's alright baby, we can always celebrate another night, okay?"

"Okay."

Mercedes stared down at her phone again before looking back up at Sam who was regarding her intently. She gave him a small smile but she couldn't help feeling something was off with him. But then again, maybe it was just her? Maybe she was just overly-sensitive today because she had that same feeling about Kurt earlier that day and that seemed to be unwarranted. Maybe this pregnancy really was messing with her brain?

Once they were settled in the car Sam pulled her close and wrapped his arm around her. "Thank you again," he whispered in her hair.

"You're welcome." She replied as she snuggled into him, "are you sure you don't need my help tonight with the paperwork? I'm sure Kurt will understand."

"No, it's fine. You go out and have a nice time with Kurt and leave the boring paperwork to me."

"Well, if you insist..."

"I am insisting, have a good time with your friend. I'll be waiting on you when you get home."

"Sounds like a plan to me."

"Kurt, where exactly are we going?"

"It's a surprise! Can't you be patient for once?"

It had been several hours since Sam dropped her off back at their place with a kiss and a smile before he went back to work. Hours since Kurt decided that he didn't trust her to be 'properly' ready by 7:30 so he came over at around 4:00 with a garment bag full of expensive dresses and a determined glint in his eye. Hours since she had been plucked, buffed, and slathered with as many lotions, oils, and perfumes as Kurt could shove into his bottomless magical bag that even Mary Poppins would envy. Her skin felt softer than silk, her hair was a shiny black mass of heavy waves down her back and her make-up was flawless. The form-fitting burgundy one shoulder dress fit her body like it was made especially for her. Mercedes knew she looked amazing but she didn't quite understand what she looked so amazing for.

"What is this restaurant called again?"

Kurt sighed loudly and shot her a blistering glare, "you promised back at the house you wouldn't ask anymore. It's a surprise so sit back, enjoy the ride, and don't get any wrinkles in that dress."

Mercedes rolled her eyes but sat back in the seat without another word. Sam had sent back his driver so that she and Kurt would have transportation for the night. Kurt was living it up and he had even taken to waving at 'the peasants' every time they passed a crosswalk full of people.

They rode in silence for about five more minutes before Nina Simone's rendition of 'I'm Feeling Good' rang out in the interior of the car. Mercedes looked down at her phone and smiled softly as a picture of Sam kissing her pregnant belly popped on the screen.

"Hey baby," Mercedes said as soon as she put the phone up to ear.

"Hey, yourself," Sam answered, "I hate to do this, I really hate to do it, but is there any way you could swing but the condo and pick up a file that's on my coffee table and bring it to the office before you go to dinner? I know Kurt will freak out, but tell him I'll make it up to him."

"What kind of file is it?"

"Um, it's an old file connected to the BPC account. I had taken it home weeks ago but I forgot to bring it back to the office. There is a few pages of information inside that I need now and I would go get it myself but I'm swamped here and—"

"You don't have to explain I'll be happy to go get it. As a matter of fact we aren't too far away from your place so it isn't out of our way at all."

"Well, that's convenient," Sam laughed, "thanks, babe."

"You're welcome, see you in a bit."

"See you."

"So, it appears we are making a side trip?" Kurt asked sarcastically.

"Yes, and Sam said he would make it up to you so hush."

"Oh, believe me I know he will."

Mercedes rolled her eyes at her friend before leaning forward and letting the driver know that they had to make a quick stop by Sam's condo. The driver shot her a quick smile in the rearview mirror and informed her that they would be there shortly.

True to his word the driver had them there in less than ten minutes. Once there he hopped out of the car as was around to Mercedes side to pull open her door in a second. She thanked the driver before glancing over to Kurt and asking, "Are you coming with me?"

"How many people does it take to find a file folder?"

Mercedes shot him a dirty look and with a loud breath stepped out of the open door that the driver was holding for her. She gave him a kind smile before leaning down to give her friend the stink eye again. "I'll be back in a minute."

"Don't take too long, we have reservations."

"Jackass," Mercedes muttered under her breath as she made her way inside the building. She gave the doorman a large smile and a slight wave and he winked back at her in return. She hurried towards the elevator banks and once inside pushed the button that would take her to the Penthouse.

Within seconds the door slid open and Mercedes walked in she made a beeline towards the coffee table and she found the file in question almost immediately. She tucked it under her arm and turned to head back to the elevator but she was brought up short in her tracks but the soft sound of music wafting from the direction of Sam's guest bedroom. She walked towards the room thinking she would find a radio or TV left on but the sight that greeted took her breath away.

Ever since Sam had moved his things from the guest room to the extra bedroom at the townhouse this room had been empty…until now. There were dozens of flameless candles littering the floor and they were surrounded by what seemed to be a blanket of red and pink rose petals. In the middle of the circle that the candles and flowers created was a stool with a thick white cushion.

"You stole my thunder," came a warm voice from behind her. Mercedes whirled around in surprise to find Sam standing behind her with a slight smile on his face. He wore an all black suit with his dirty blonde hair carelessly tousled and he was holding a single red rose.

"This is for you," he said quietly as he held the flower out.

"What's going on, Sam?" Mercedes asked in a tear-thickened voice.

"I have an answer to give and a question of my own to ask."

"I don't…I don't understand."

"You will." Sam grabbed her hand and led her over to the white stool and he smiled down at her while she got comfortable.

Once she was settled in he took the file that was she was still clenching under her arm in a death grip. She raised her eyebrow questioningly and he opened the file folder to show her the blank pages inside.

"Sorry, had to tell a little fib to get you here."

"And Kurt?"

"I'm sure he and my driver are on the way to pick his date up right now for the all expense paid thank you dinner that I'm bankrolling."

"Thank you dinner?"

"Let's just say Kurt was my partner in crime, I couldn't have pulled this off without him."

Mercedes thought back to all of the secret texts and 'plans' she was involved in that she had no recollection of so she just had to ask, "So I don't have pregnancy brain then."

"No," he laughed, "you definitely don't have pregnancy brain…but you do have the pregnancy belly. How's my girl doing?" He asked as he came forward and rubbed his hand lovingly over her stomach.

"She's a little bit confused about what her Daddy's doing."

The smile on Sam's face faded and his green eyes darkened as he focused his attention back on Mercedes.

"You can tell her that he loves her mommy very much and he wants to spend the rest of his life with her."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah, you can also tell her that because Mommy jumped the gun a little bit she caught Daddy unaware and he made a bit a fool out of himself."

"He did?" Mercedes asked with a watery smile.

"Yep, and don't forget to tell her that this is a moment that neither one of us will forget."

"And why is that?" She asked in a thick voice.

"Because," Sam said as he got down on one knee and pulled a small black box from his jacket pocket, "this is the moment I tell you that I love you more than anything else in the world and I know that losing you…that living without you is a hell that I don't want to ever go through again. This is when I tell you that I promise to be a best husband, the best father, the best man that I can possibly be. You are the love of my life, Mercedes and I can't imagine my life without you in it. So, my answer to your question is yes, I will marry you…will you still have me?"

Sam opened the tiny box in his hand and Mercedes gasped as she saw the glittering diamond shining back at her. She put her hand over her mouth as the tears pooling in her eyes finally spilled over and ran down her cheeks. Her vision blurred but she could still make out Sam kneeling in front of her and staring up at her expectantly.

"I love you, Sam" she choked out, "and yes, I'll have you."

"For the rest of our lives?" He breathed as he came off his knees and stood so that they were face to face.

She nodded, "For the rest of our lives."

Sam slid the diamond ring on Mercedes and they both let out a breath that neither one of them realized they were holding. He pulled her up so that they were both standing and he captured her lips in a deep soul-stirring kiss.

"I'm gonna love you forever, you know that right?" Sam whispered in here ear once they broke their kiss off.

"Promise?"

"Promise."


	29. Ready or Not

"I'm pretty sure that's not where that screw goes."

Sam rolled his eyes and looked up to find Kurt watching him with a skeptical gaze. "No offense Kurt but what in the hell would you know about assembling a crib?"

"Well I know that according to these instructions it should have taken you about 30 minutes to finish this but we passed the 30 minute mark about 45 minutes ago."

"Are you the timekeeper now?"

"Nope…just making an observation." Kurt answered in a sing-songy voice.

Sam rolled his eyes again and turned his attention back to the large white sleigh crib that was quickly becoming the bane of his existence. An hour ago putting his daughter's crib together seemed like it would be the easiest thing ever but he found out soon enough that wasn't the case. Kurt had been waving the instructions in his face for the last 15 minutes and as much as Sam knew he needed that book he refused to give Kurt the satisfaction.

"Blaine is over there setting up the bassinet, why don't you go observe that?" Sam asked in a sickeningly sweet voice.

Kurt gave him a smile that matched Sam's tone perfectly and in an equally fake sweet voice he replied, "I think I'll do that. He actually read the instructions so he's almost done. Maybe he can come help you once he's finished with the project that took as long at the manufacturer suggested it would."

"…took as long as the manufacturer suggested it would," Sam mimicked under his breath as Kurt flounced off to the other side of the room where his boyfriend was putting the finishing touches on the baby's bassinet. After being wined and dined by Kurt on the ridiculously expensive date that Sam paid for Blaine Anderson had become a permanent fixture in their lives. Kurt swore up and down that Blaine was the one and considering how smitten he was Sam wouldn't be surprised in the least if it were true. Mercedes adored Blaine and they had become fast friends and while he had only been in their group for a few months he was just as excited for the baby as they were.

Thinking of his baby girl, Sam's eyes scanned the large newly painted lavender room in search of her mother. He found her rocking gently in his mom's old rocking chair as she folded a huge stack of baby clothes that Blaine and Kurt has brought over earlier that day. With a sigh Sam dropped his screw driver and shot one more glare at the crib before making his way over to his fiancée.

When she saw him approaching with his forlorn expression he could tell she was fighting back the urge to laugh. He sat on the floor beside the chair and he laid his head in her lap. Mercedes finished folding the tiny pink onesie and set it on the dresser next to her before bringing her hands back down so that she could stroke strands of his blonde hair.

"I hate that damn crib," Sam muttered after a few moments of comfortable silence.

At that Mercedes let out an unladylike snort before almost immediately bursting into a fit of giggles.

"I'm glad that amuses you," Sam replied dryly once Mercedes' giggles died down. "I hope you find it just as funny when our child is sleeping in the bassinet that Uncle Blaine put together for her because her extremely expensive crib is lying in a pile of sticks in the corner."

"Awww," Mercedes crooned at Sam's petulant tone as she continued twirling his hair with her fingers.

"You know," she whispered conspiratorially, "you could always just read the instructions"

Sam head snapped up from lap and he glared playfully up at her, "whose side are you on anyway?"

"On Lilliana's," she said as she gently patted her rounded tummy, "I want her to enjoy her ridiculously expensive crib her Daddy just had to buy her."

Sam laid his head back on her lap and murmured contentedly as her fingers starting running through his hair again.

"I give up…" He said finally as her burrowed his head in Mercedes thigh, "I'll use the damn instructions."

"Yay." Mercedes said quietly as she gave a few small claps that caused Sam to give a little snort of laughter of his own.

"Promise me one thing," he asked in a mock-serious tone, "whatever you do, don't ever, EVER tell Kurt I used the instructions."

Mercedes laughed and held up her pinkie, "it'll be between you, me and Lilliana." Sam lifted his head from her lap, grabbed her pinkie and kissed her tummy simultaneously.

"What are you two being all secretive about over there." Kurt asked from across the room, regarding them suspiciously.

"We promised to love each other forever and ever." Sam answered as he got up and put his hand down to help Mercedes out of the chair.

"Awww, that's sweet." Kurt answered sarcastically, "its complete bullshit, but at least its sweet."

"Aw, come on Kurt, I buy it." Blaine said as he hugged Kurt from behind, "it's clear that the two of them are so in love."

"Thank you Blaine," Sam said pointedly as he looked at Kurt who just rolled is eyes.

"Alright boys," Mercedes said, "enough with the sniping. I'm tired, my back is killing me and I'm starving so can we please just find something to eat so I can go to bed."

"Yes, ma'am" Kurt and Blaine answered simultaneously and everyone but Sam laughed.

"I'm sorry honey, I'm being a bitch today…I know." Kurt responded sheepishly, "How about me and Blaine go find some good meaty, cheesy, gooey Italian food and bring it back. Sound good?"

"Mmmm," Mercedes murmured, "that sounds heavenly."

"Alright then, we'll be back in a bit."

Kurt and Blaine both came forward to give her pecks on her cheeks and with a quick head nod in Sam's direction they were on their way.

Once the boys were out of the room Mercedes stretched her back while Sam watched her carefully. She was quickly approaching her last month of pregnancy so some achiness and discomfort were to be expected but Sam was worried that she had more than what was normal.

He walked forward and wrapped his arms around her and she sighed in pleasure before resting against him.

"How are you feeling?" He murmured in her hair as he gently rocked them back and forth.

"Tired, mostly. I'll be fine one minute and then exhausted the next."

"Go lay down, I'll tell Kurt and Blaine that you want to rest and I'll order some take-out for the two of us so they don't have to come all the way back."

Mercedes clearly wanted to protest but when she opened her mouth to do so a large yawn escaped instead causing Sam to chuckle lightly into her neck.

"Stop fighting it baby, you know you want nothing more right now than to sink into our nice, warm, soft, comfortable bed."

Mercedes groaned at his description, "Sam Evans that might just be the sexiest thing you've ever said to me."

He laughed, "What can I say? My seduction game is on point."

"Mmmmm, remind me of that later after I take a nap."

Mercedes turned in his arms and she laid her head on in his chest. He rubbed her back soothingly and she hummed appreciatively.

"So…you're just tired?" Sam asked carefully, trying to keep his voice light. "You need a foot massage or a back massage…"

"My back has been bothering me lately but it's nothing I can't handle," she murmured, her voice slightly muffled, "let's not forget I'm carrying around an extra person."

"Precious cargo."

"Exactly, and by the way, I know what you're doing. Stop worrying."

Sam's head snapped up from where it was resting on top of Mercedes' and he looked guiltily down at her amused face.

"I'm not…"

"Yes, you are." Mercedes cut him off and punched him lightly in the stomach, "we just went to the doctor the other day and she said everything was fine."

"I know, but…"

"But nothing. You being worried makes me worried and I don't need any extra stress. I'm fine. The baby is fine. We will be fine."

"Promise?"

Mercedes smiled gently and Sam could tell by the twinkle in her eye that she was thinking about the night of their engagement.

"Promise." She murmured quietly before getting on her tiptoes and giving him a kiss. He quickly deepened it but his actions were derailed by the large yawn that had Mercedes backing away so that she could cover her mouth.

"Go to bed, baby," Sam sighed.

Mercedes laughed at Sam's slightly whiny voice but she didn't argue. She gave him one more quick peck before heading towards the door.

"Finish my baby's bed and make sure you use the instructions this time!" She said in firm voice as she turned back to point a finger at him jokingly.

"Yes ma'am!" Sam said with a laugh mimicking Kurt and Blaine's earlier response, "I promise one way or the other this bed will be finished before you wake up."

"Lilly just kicked the hell out of me so I'm guessing she approves."

"Great, the two of you are already ganging up on me."

"Better get used to it." She winked at him and blew him a kiss before walking out the door.

Sam's broad smile faded once she got out the door and he gave a quick prayer that she was right and he was just overreacting. He knew that Dr. Holly had told them that everything looked fine but she also said that the baby was bit underweight for this stage in the pregnancy. Not alarming, but still a minor red flag. Dr. Holly warned there was real chance that Lilliana may be a bit small when she was born but she still believed that she would be within a healthy weight range.

Sam realized he was doing exactly what he promised Mercedes just a few seconds ago he wouldn't do. Pushing his worry aside he focused his attention back on the crib from hell that was perched precariously on three legs. He swore to himself that if it were the last thing he ever did he would put this crib together and after that he never wanted to see another one of these damn things ever again.

"Surprise!"

Sam bit back a groan a week later as he walked inside a conference room at work that looked as if a bottle of Pepto-Bismol had exploded inside of it.

"Be nice," Mercedes muttered under her breath as she squeezed his hand, "it's for the baby."

Sam plastered a fake smile on his face as Mrs. Halbright rushed forward with a huge pink and white corsage in her hand. She pinned it on Mercedes dress while preening about how beautiful she looked.

Mercedes thanked her graciously as she pulled Sam further into the room. He looked around at the room filled with his female employees, as well as a few males, and the fake smile only pulled his face tighter. Sam tried his hardest to not think about all the work that was not being done because they were all down in the conference room ooohing and awwwing over baby clothes.

His grim disposition almost immediately dissipated when he looked down and saw the delighted expression on Mercedes' face. Annoyed though he may be he could never stay mad when she looked so happy. He would push aside the thought of the stack of files piled on his desk and instead focus on this ridiculously lavish baby shower for his baby girl. The fake smile on his face melted into a real one as he leaned over to whisper in Mercedes' ear, "so where's the presents?"

An hour later Sam regretted ever asking about gifts. Lilliana now had enough socks, onesies, and bibs to last her until through the next millennium. Between that and the mountain of diapers, bottles, pacifiers, books, Johnson & Johnson products, and stuffed animals Sam thought he would have to look into purchasing another house or at the very least a U-Haul to get it all to his current one.

As everyone enjoyed slices of a pink baby carriage shaped cake Mrs. Halbright stepped forward to make an announcement.

"First off, I would like to say congratulations once again to Sam and Mercedes on their impending bundle of joy. We all couldn't be happier for the two of you and we can't wait to meet little Lilliana. We will all miss you Mercedes during your maternity leave and we sincerely hope that Sam handles your absence a little bit better this time around."

The conference room filled with laughter and Sam gritted his teeth. He was so glad that his devastation over losing the love of his life was all a big joke to everyone now.

Mercedes choked out a little giggle but she stopped when saw the glower on his face. She reached over and squeezed his knee before giving him a quick peck on the cheek and whispering in his ear, "Smile, it's over now and it won't happen again. I'll never leave you."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

With that Sam smiled and even let out a laugh of his own. The pleasure in Mercedes' eyes at his quick recovery warmed him considerably and he relaxed against the small couch they were sitting on.

"….so, we have one more gift that we would like to present to the two of you."

Sam had blocked out Mrs. Halbright after her poorly timed joke so he missed almost the rest of her speech until she mentioned the last gift. What else could they possibly give?

"Everyone was so generous, not only to bring their own gifts but to also chip in on the big gift for the baby. It is a bit extravagant but because of everyone's generosity we were able to get it easily. We hope that you guys love it, and we hope that Lilliana has many nights of blissful sleep in it."

"Oh no…" Sam muttered in horror, this gift couldn't possibly be what he thinking it was. If there was a God it would not be what he was thinking.

Two of Sam's lead advertisers that should have been working were instead sliding a brightly wrapped pink box with a gigantic white bow across the conference room floor. They stopped when they got in front of Sam and Mercedes and with a flourish they waved their hands dramatically before stepping away from the package. Mercedes giggled excitedly and nudged Sam who choked out a laugh of his own. He stood and reached down to help Mercedes up. She made a big deal out of walking around the box and rubbing her hands together which garnered a laugh from all of those in attendance. When she got back around to the front she tugged gently on the bow causing it to unravel. She looked over at Sam and asked in a mock-serious tone, "Should we rip it, or should we rip it?"

Sam didn't answer but instead he grabbed her hand and brought it up to a small tear at the top of the box. Together the ripped the paper down at a diagonal until a large section of the box was uncovered. Sam fought the urge to curse a blue streak at the sight of the beautiful white sleigh crib partially hidden from view by the bright pink wrapping paper. Mercedes played the part and gushed and thanked the employees enthusiastically enough for the both of them while he glared at the bane of his existence. Mercedes squeezed his hand a little harder than he felt was necessary but it brought him out of the black rage he was descending into because of an inanimate object.

With one last glare at the offending box he plastered his fake grin back on and wrapped a hand around Mercedes waist before saying, "Mercedes and I are eternally grateful for everything you all have done. This party was beautiful and all the gifts for the baby were amazing…even this crib—"

Sam's words were cut off by a sharp jab to his stomach by Mercedes' elbow. She shot him a warning glare before turning back to thank their audience again on their behalf. Once all the thank-yous were said the employees all started filing from the room and back to their respective offices. Mrs. Halbright came forward and gave them both big kisses on the cheek, "I'm so glad the two of you loved it! We've been planning this for months."

"It was so well put together Linda, thank you." Mercedes said graciously, "we really do appreciate everything."

"Don't mention it honey, we were happy to do it."

Mrs. Halbright gave them one last kiss on their cheeks before assuring Sam that she could handle things at the office, including clean up of the conference room while he got the baby's stuff back home. He smiled tightly at her retreating figure before turning to Mercedes and saying through gritted teeth, "Did they think I drove a moving truck to work today? How in the hell are we going to get all this home?"

Mercedes rolled her eyes before moving towards the huge stack of presents. "Most of this stuff can all be put into a few of the larger bags. If we put the back seat down I'm sure we can fit most of this stuff in there. As far as the crib goes—"

"We can leave it here."

"No."

"Throw it away?"

"Sa—"

"Light it on fire?"

"Sam!" Mercedes said loudly with a laugh. "We can leave it here for now if we have to and take it to the condo tomorrow. If you plan on keeping that place then you are going to need somewhere for your daughter to sleep."

'Ok then…if I sell the condo, can we get rid of the crib?"

Mercedes shot him a withering look and shoved a huge yellow bag with a teddy bear on it in his hands. "Start loading up."

45 minutes later, Sam and Mercedes managed to shove all the gifts, including the crib, in his Ranger Rover.

"You hungry?" Sam asked as the made their way back to their townhouse, "we can stop and get something and take it home."

"Hmmmm," Mercedes murmured sleepily, "I'm not, but you go ahead and get something."

"No, I'll be fine." Sam reached over and grabbed her hand that was resting on her lap and he was slightly alarmed by how cold and clammy it was. "You sure you're alright, baby?"

"Hmmm…?" Mercedes blinked rapidly and squinted up at him, "no…yes, I'm fine I just feel a little…I just need some rest that's all. The excitement of the day is just catching up to me….I'm fine. Really."

"Okay." Sam gave Mercedes a reassuring smile but the second her eyelids drooped again the smile faded. Rationally he knew that a tired, pregnant woman was completely normal but there was just something that didn't feel right. Sam knew Mercedes' body well, but he couldn't claim to know it better than she knew it herself. He had a bad feeling but he didn't know if it were just paranoia or over-protectiveness. Thankfully they had a doctor's appointment tomorrow morning so he was sure that hearing from a medical professional that all was well and good would be enough to calm his nerves. He brought Mercedes' cool hand to his mouth and he placed a light kiss in the middle of her palm. A slight smile crossed her face as she sighed in contentment and burrowed deeper into the seat.

Almost half and hour later Sam pulled to a stop in front of their townhouse.

"Babe?" He said as he nudged Mercedes gently, "we're home."

"Hmmm…?"

"We're here."

Mercedes opened her eyes sleepily and looked around, "Oh," she murmured, "that was quick."

"Why don't you go on upstairs and get into bed? I can handle all the gifts."

"You sure?"

"Absolutely."

Mercedes gave him a sleepy smile before getting out of the car. Sam watched as she trudged slowly up the steps to the house. Once she was inside he hopped out of the car and opened the trunk and starting grabbing bags. He glared at the still wrapped crib and briefly contemplated leaving it out on the sidewalk in hopes that someone would steal it. Knowing that it would upset Mercedes was the only thing that was keeping the crib from becoming stolen property.

After three trips Sam managed to get all of the gifts into the baby's room. He left the crib in the trunk so he could take it to his condo later after he had checked in on Mercedes. When he went to their bedroom he found her curled around her body pillow in the middle of the bed. He kicked his shoes off and shrugged off his jacket and climbed in behind her. He put his hand on her stomach and he rubbed it gently and the few faint kicks he got in response were enough to help release the breath he didn't realize he was holding. Just like Mercedes said, the baby was fine and he was overreacting. He snuggled in closer and tangled his fingers in with the ones Mercedes had clutching her pillow. He whispered, "I love you," in her ear and smiled when he heard a soft "I love you too," in response. Sam's eyes drifted closed to the quiet sound of Mercedes' breathing and the feel of her soft thumb stroking his hand.

"….I don't want to freak him out…"

"…Mama, I don't know but I'm scared…"

Sam groggily looked around in confusion at his surroundings. He was still in bed but the spot where Mercedes had been was empty, cool…and damp. He sat up in surprise and quickly got out of bed in search of her.

"…I already called the doctor and she said I should come in…no…no, she didn't say what she thought could be wrong she just told me to come in…I don't know…I felt a little dizzy so I laid down and after that I felt fine. I went to sleep and I slept about an hour or so but when I woke up I was drenched in sweat and now I feel like I'm having contractions…I don't know Mama!"

Sam heard Mercedes' high, panicky voice coming from the bathroom. He pushed the door open and he found her clutching her stomach with tears running down her face. He grabbed the phone from her hand and practically barked into it,

"Marilyn? We're going to the hospital."

"Good. Please, Sam take care of my baby."

"I will." He answered shortly before hanging up the phone and tossing it on the counter. "Why didn't you say something?" He asked more harshly that he intended. "I knew something was off and you did too, so why didn't you say anything?"

"I was tired Sam," she snapped through gritted teeth, "I've been tired for weeks, I just started feeling really strange a few hours ago."

"I'm sorry…I'm sorry." Sam clenched his eyes shut and pinched the bridge of his nose before asking, "What hurts? What do you need? What do you want me to do?"

"Slow down," Mercedes panted as she clutched her stomach, "I feel like….I feel like I'm having contractions but they are constant and ahhhhhh…." Mercedes knees buckled and Sam came forward and caught her.

"We…have to go…now…"she continued panting as she laid heavily against him, "Holly said we…need…we have to…go…Sam…"

"Ok, baby." Sam said frantically he grabbed her hand and led her back to their bedroom. As she sat down heavily on the bed he ran to their closet and grabbed the first comfortable looking outfit he could find for her. He hurried back to her side and helped her pull off her damp dress. As soon as the cool air hit her heated skin goose bumps rose all over her body and her teeth started to chatter almost immediately. As quickly as he could he helped her get dressed before leading her downstairs to the car. Once he got her settled in he rushed back upstairs and with trembling hands put his jacket and shoes back on. He looked around frantically for something to grab for Mercedes to have at the hospital but he saw nothing. This was happening too fast and they weren't ready yet, it was all wrong. Tears temporarily blurred Sam's vision but he quickly blinked them away before grabbing his phone and wallet off the dresser and running back downstairs.

As he got in the car he looked over at Mercedes and the pinched, pained expression on her face as she continued panting had his heart racing in fear. He reached across the console and grasped her hand and she clung to him tightly.

"Please hurry, Sam." She begged and Sam let go of her hand long enough to put the car in gear. Once they were on the road he grabbed her hand again and he brought it to his lips.

"We're going to be okay, baby." He whispered against her hand, "we're going to be okay."

For years to come Sam would always marvel at how he was able to get them to the hospital in the amount of time he did unscathed. He ran every light, broke every traffic law known to man and he managed to get them there in one piece. Once he pulled up to the entrance of the ER he threw the car into park and ran around to the other side to help Mercedes out.

"I don't…think…you…can park…here…" Mercedes said through clenched teeth.

"I don't care they can tow the damn thing." Sam said as he wrapped his arm around Mercedes and propelled her gently towards the entrance. Just inside the door were a group of wheelchairs and Mercedes sat down heavily in the closest one to the door. Sam pushed her through the second set of sliding doors and was almost immediately met by a nurse.

"Can I help you?"

"My fiance'…there's something wrong. She's 8 months pregnant and she's having pain—"

"Dr. Holly Holliday told me to come here," Mercedes interrupted, "she told me to come immediately and I need to see her now!"

The nurse flinched slightly at the loud tone of Mercedes voice but she didn't hesitate to go back to the nurse's station to make a call. Within just a few short moments Holly was rushing down the hall towards them. At the sight of her the very thin thread of control Mercedes seemed to be holding on snapped and she started to cry almost hysterically.

Holly crouched at Mercedes side and ran a comforting hand down the side of her face, "hey, now…I know you're scared but we don't know what we're dealing with here. Maybe you two haven't been paying your little one enough attention and she just wants to make her presence known?" She joked lightly.

Mercedes continued crying but the hysterical edge seemed to have worn off and the white knuckled grip that Sam didn't realize he had on the handles of the wheelchair slackened a bit.

Holly escorted them to an empty room and she asked Mercedes to get on the table so that she could do a quick examination. As Holly flitted around the room grabbing various items Sam watched as the several different emotions crossed Mercedes' face. He brought her hand up to his face and laid his cheek against the back of it. At the feel of his skin she let out a shuddering breath before turning her hand so that her palm was cupping his face. They stared at each for a long second before the moment was broken by the sound of Holly pulling a large sonogram machine towards the bed.

"So here is what we're going to do, I'm going to check and make sure everything is okay with the baby, which I'm sure it is, and then we're going to focus on stopping that pain if we can. Okay?"

"Okay," Mercedes murmured, "what do you think it can be?"

"More than likely?" Holly started as she squirted cold liquid on Mercedes stomach and started moving the wand around, "more than likely it's just Braxton-Hicks but because it's your first pregnancy and you weren't expecting such strong contraction-like pain so soon it probably scared you…"

Holly's voice trailed off and she slid the sonogram machine closer so that she could see the screen better.

"How long have you been having this pain, Mercedes?" She asked as the light timbre of her voice changing slightly.

"My back has been bothering me for the last couple of weeks but this pain just started about an hour or so ago."

"Okay…have you experienced any vaginal bleeding?"

"No." Mercedes answered, as she struggled to sit up.

"That's a good thing right?" Sam asked as he watched the furrow in Holly's brow get deeper as she continued moving the wand on Mercedes stomach.

"Did you fall, bump into anything, get hit with something?"

"No! Holly what's going on? Why are you asking all these questions? And why can't we hear her heartbeat?"

Sam's eyes flew to Holly's pinched, worry face and he could feel his heart drop.

"Holly?" He asked in gruff voice. "Why can't we hear it?"

Holly glanced quickly at both of them before turning up the sound and seconds later the sound of a heartbeat filled the room. Both Sam and Mercedes breathed a sigh of relief but it was short-lived because something was off. There was a heartbeat but it was slow, much too slow and Sam could tell by the look on Holly's face that she knew it.

She pushed the machine away and got a cloth to wipe Mercedes stomach with. Her quick, precise movements were a startling contrast from her usually languid way of doing things and it caused a heavy lump to form in Sam's throat. Once she had finished cleaning off Mercedes she pulled her stool around so that she could sit on Mercedes' side opposite Sam.

"We have to take the baby,"

"No…no…no…no" Mercedes started to cry as she shook her head back and forth, "it's too early and she's too small. She's not ready yet! I'll do bed rest, I'll stay in the hospital until it's time…"

"Mercedes!" Holly snapped, "I know you're scared but your baby is in distress and if we don't take her now she will die. Do you understand?"

"Yes," Mercedes sobbed as Sam watched on helplessly.

"We're going to have to do a C-section right now. If there was any other way believe me I would do it but there's not. The baby has to come out. Now."

Mercedes face was buried in her hands but she nodded her head slightly. Holly took that as all the permission she needed and she became a flurry of action. She went outside and barked some orders to the nurses out there and within seconds they were coming into the room to take Mercedes to the operation room.

Sam stood back and watched all the movement with a vague sense of detachment. All of this felt as if it were happening to someone else. Just a few hours ago he was surrounded in pink outfits and teddy bears and unwanted cribs for his baby and now there was a chance there might not be a baby. Sam was so detached from it all he didn't even know what was real anymore. Was this really happening or was it just a horrific nightmare?

"SAM!" Holly yelled ripping him out of his impending downward spiral, "you need to get prepared to go in with Mercedes. Go with the nurse and she'll get you ready."

Sam looked at Holly blankly before a small dark-haired nurse gently tugged him out of the room. Within minutes he was gowned up and heading into a large white room and once inside he found Mercedes lying on an operating table. Tears ran unchecked down her face and Sam hurried to her side.

"I'm so…so sorry." Mercedes cried.

"For what?" He asked as he looked at her in surprise.

"I should have known something was wrong. I am her mother. She is inside of ME. I should have known something was wrong."

"Shhhhhh…" Sam whispered, "This is not your fault, do you hear me? No matter what happens, this is not your fault."

Mercedes face crumpled and the tears started flowing faster.

Holly's face appeared over the curtain and she gave Mercedes a brief sympathetic glance before looking at Sam and saying, "its time."

Sam nodded jerkily before turning his attention back to Mercedes. Her eyes were wide and worried but they softened a bit when she looked into Sam's eyes.

"I'm scared." She whispered quietly.

"I am too." He admitted.

Neither one of them said another word but their eyes never left each other's as Holly and her team worked. Sam didn't know how much time had passed before he finally heard Holly's triumphant, "She's out!"

Mercedes broke eye contact with Sam in search of their daughter but a nurse quickly grabbed the baby after the umbilical cord was cut and shuffled her off to a corner was a warmer was set up.

For a moment the only sounds in the room were the quiet murmurings between the nurses in the corner and Holly's low voice and she said something over and over again as she continued working on Mercedes.

Sam rubbed his thumb soothingly over Mercedes forehead as he looked back and forth between Holly and the nurses working on the baby.

"Why isn't she crying?" Sam took his eyes off of the anxious worried expression on Holly's face and turned back to look at Mercedes.

"What?"

"The baby! Why isn't she crying!"

Sam turned back towards the corner and he could see the nurses now working feverishly and almost roughly with the baby. He started to walk towards the warmer but the sight of his daughter's very tiny dark purplish-blue legs had him pulling up short. He didn't know much about babies but he knew that she shouldn't look like that. Something was wrong, it was all so very, very wrong.

He watched in horror as the nurses around his daughter continued to frantically work. Sam could feel his heart thundering in his chest and it was so loud that he could hear it in his ears. It was so loud in fact that it was drowning out almost all the other sounds in the room. Even Mercedes' loud, plaintive cry asking why their baby wasn't crying got fainter and fainter as if he was getting further and further away.

But he wasn't. He hadn't moved.

"DAMN IT! She's losing too much blood, she's going into shock!"

Sam turned back towards the operating table to find Holly barking frantic orders to her colleagues. The air in the room seemed to crackle with energy as both sets of teams seemed to moved in some hyper-speed synchronicity. Sam looked back to Mercedes to see how she was and his blood instantly ran cold at the sight of her lying motionless on the table.

He rushed forward and shook her shoulder almost roughly.

"Mercedes!" He barked loudly as he shook her again, "MERCEDES!"

"Stop, Sam." Holly said sharply, sparing him a brief glance before saying to the nurses, "get him out of here."

Two of the nurses came to his side and started tugging on him, "Mr. Evans, you have to go out and let the doctor's do their work."

Sam ignored them and kept focusing on Mercedes who looked more and more lifeless as the seconds ticked by.

"I'm not going." Sam said stubbornly, "I'm not leaving my family."

"If you don't get out and let us do our work you won't have a family!" Holly snapped, "Sam, you cannot be in here right now. Please go."

Sam looked at Holly until the tears in his eyes caused his vision to blur completely. He allowed the nurse to lead him out and he leaned heavily on the wall outside the door.

"Wait here, Mr. Evans. The second we know anything concrete we will let you know."

"Are they going to die?" Sam asked quietly as he slid down the wall to sit on the floor. "They're going to die aren't they?"

"Mr. Evans, I…" The nurse looked down at him sadly as she tried to find the right words to say. "I promise you the second I know anything I will let you know."

Sam buried his face in his hands as he waited. He waited for the sound of his daughter's crying. He waited for the sound of the nurse's footsteps as she came back out to tell him everything was okay. He waited for the sound of his alarm going off as he woke up and realized this was all a bad dream.

He waited for what seems like hours and finally he heard a noise but it was the last one he ever wanted to hear. It was the sound that shattered his heart into a million pieces. The sound that ended his entire world.

It was the faint sound of a heart monitor flat-lining.


	30. Finding His Faith

Never in a million years did Sam think he would be back as this place so soon.

A soft, cold, misty rain drizzled around him as he stared down at the two heavy granite headstones. He hated this place. He hated the finality of it all. He hated knowing that these lifeless pieces of stone were all that was left to represent two people that he loved.

The longer he stood in front of the two headstones the more it felt as if the bone chilling cold was slipping into his soul. He knew he needed to get in his car and get somewhere warm but first he needed to tell them.

Sam leaned forward and gently removed a smudge of dirt that was partially covering an L and an I on the smaller tombstone. He smiled sadly when the full name was clean and uncovered. It was such a beautiful name, a name that had meant so much to him and it was a name that should never be hidden.

Sam wiped impatiently at the tears that has sprung unbidden in his eyes. He didn't have time for this. He had already cried enough tears to last a lifetime and he didn't have the strength to cry anymore. He had a story to tell and he needed to tell it. It had been a month since that fateful day and so much had happened he could still hardly make sense of it all. His entire world had completely changed in the matter of minutes and it will never be the same….

"They're going to die aren't they?" Sam repeated again quietly to himself as the door to the operating room swung shut behind the nurse. He rubbed the heel of his hands over his eyes as listened to the faint whine of the defibrillator as it charged. He choked back a sob when he heard Holly yell out, "CLEAR!" seconds before he heard the dull thump of the paddles shooting electricity to Mercedes' heart.

"CLEAR!"

Thump.

The whine from the defibrillator charging again was like nails on a chalkboard in Sam's head. It wasn't working! They were pounding her poor body with volts of electricity but it wasn't working…it was never going to work. She was already gone.

"CLEAR!"

Thump.

Sam put his head down on his knees and waited. Waited for the sound of Holly's footsteps as she came outside to tell him Mercedes was dead. Waited for the sound of the squeaky wheels of the incubator as they wheeled his tiny daughter's frail and almost lifeless body to the NICU where she would probably spend the last few hours of her short life suffering. He waited for the two things that he loved more than anything to be cruelly taken away from him.

"CLEAR!"

Thump.

Time seemed to stand still after that last hard thump. Inexplicably the bustling hospital seemed to cease all movement and Sam was acutely aware of the sound of his hot, haggard breathing. His heart thumped loudly in his chest and his hands felt as cold and clammy as Mercedes did earlier. The feeling of emptiness threatened to suffocate him as he waited. It was like a living, breathing thing clawing at his heart and there was nothing that could stop it.

He heard muffled footsteps coming towards him and he clenched his eyes shut. He couldn't look into Holly's sad sympathetic eyes as she crushed his soul. He wouldn't look at her as she told him the love of his life was dead. He steeled himself as the muffled footsteps got clearer and sharper as they got closer to the door and he clumsily rose to a standing position.

The door swung open and with it brought a blast of cool air along with the sterile smell of the operating room as well as the slight, almost unnoticeable metallic tang of blood. His stomach rolled at the smell and the cake from the baby shower earlier that day threatened to come back up.

He stared at his feet until another pair where standing in his line of vision. He briefly glanced up and noticed it was the nurse from earlier and not Holly. Anger flared within him as he cursed Holly inwardly for being too much of a coward to tell him that Mercedes was gone herself.

"Mr. Evans?" The small nurse asked timidly, "I told you I would let you kno—"

"She's dead isn't she?" Sam spat out harshly, "You came out here to tell me she's dead."

"No, she's not dead."

Sam stared at the nurse unblinkingly with gritty red-rimmed eyes. The words made sense but they wouldn't compute, his heart wouldn't let them.

"….it was touch and go for a second and Dr. Holliday had to resuscitate Mercedes but she's back now."

Sam shook his head from left to right because no matter how true he wanted those words to be true he couldn't believe them. He was afraid to believe them, afraid to get his hopes up because if she was wrong it would kill him.

Beep….

As the operating doors swung open to allow another nurse to walk through he finally heard it.

Beep…

He let out a strangled gasp as he instinctively walked closer to the door so that he could hear it better.

Beep…

"What is that?"

Beep…

"It's Mercedes heartbeat."

Beep…

Sam closed his eyes tightly as he leaned his forehead against the wall next to the door.

"Beep…"

With every blip from that machine Sam could feel the swell of emptiness and despair abating a bit. It wasn't gone but it wasn't overwhelming him anymore either.

"I thought…"

"It was a close call Mr. Evans, I'm not going to lie, but Mercedes is strong and Dr. Holliday wasn't about to give her up without a fight."

"So she's…"

"Still being worked on but I do believe that she will pull through."

Sam let out a huge sigh of relief and he laid his head back against the wall.

"Now, about the baby."

The sense of dread that had just escaped him came flooding back in an instant. How could he forget about his baby? This nightmare was far from over.

"What about her?" He croaked.

"The nurses are preparing to transfer her to the NICU. She weighs 3 pounds and 7 ounces which is good considering everything."

"Three pounds?" Sam gasped out, "That's too small."

"She's almost 4 weeks premature and yes, that's a bit smaller than she should be but considering Mercedes' condition—"

"Her condition? Is she sick?"

"No, she's not sick…look, Mr. Evans it's complicated and I know Dr. Holliday wanted to be the one to explain what happened with Mercedes."

"And how long will that be?"

"Dr. Holliday is not going to leave Mercedes' side until she is stabilized. The second that happens she will be with you to fill you in on everything."

"Okay…so the baby?"

"She's being moved—"

She was interrupted by the banging open of the operating room doors as group of nurses navigated a large incubator through them. Sam's breath caught in his throat as he looked down at his daughter's tiny body engulfed by wires and tubes.

"Wait just one second," he heard the small nurse ask quietly and he took that as permission to move a little closer.

His vision blurred as he stared down at the rapid up and down movement of his daughter's chest. He wanted so badly to touch her, to soothe her but he couldn't and it hurt so bad. She needed him, they both needed him but there was nothing he could do but wait and hope. Hope that they got better. Hope that they were both strong enough to fight their respective battles alone.

He ran his finger down the cool glass of the incubator and in a choked, tear-filled voice he whispered, "I love you, Lilliana. Please be okay."

"I'm sorry Mr. Evans but we have to go." An older blonde-haired nurse told him kindly but firmly, "once we get Lilliana all settled in we will come and get you, okay?"

"Okay," Sam answered numbly as he watched them wheel his daughter away from him.

"Mr. Evans? Does Mercedes have any other family that needs to be called?"

"Oh shit! Her mother!" Sam frantically patted himself until he realized that the nurse that had helped him earlier had taken his phone and wallet when he was getting ready to go to the operating room.

"Your things, along with Mercedes' are in Dr. Holliday's office. She told me to tell you that you were free to go in there and make any calls you needed to make while you waited for her. Barring any more complications she should be with you shortly."

Sam gave the operating doors one last long look before finally nodding jerkily and allowing the nurse to lead him away.

A few short minutes later Sam was seating in Dr. Holliday's cramped office. It was unlike any other doctor's office he had ever been in. Instead of various diplomas and plaques littering the walls, Holly's was almost completely covered in baby pictures. It was a literal rainbow of beautiful, smiling, happy, healthy babies. He couldn't help the dark thought flitting through his head that maybe his little girl would never make it up on that wall.

He shook away the depressing imagery of his baby struggling in the NICU and instead focused his attention on calling Marilyn. Noting the extreme number of missed calls from her, Kurt, Blaine, Emma and even Santana he felt like such an asshole for not thinking to contact anyone sooner.

His first call was to Marilyn but after a few attempts that went straight to voicemail he came to the conclusion that she was more than likely on a plane to New York. A quick replay of one of her messages confirmed that to be true. Next, he called Kurt but he barely got in a word as Kurt blubbered hysterically in a high panicky voice until finally Blaine took the phone away. Sam mechanically relayed what he knew so far and accepted Blaine and Kurt's condolences as graciously as he could. He asked Blaine if he could fill Emma and Santana in because he didn't know if he would have the strength to tell the story again without breaking down.

By the time the phone call was finished he was completely exhausted. His body felt heavy and lethargic and he wanted nothing more than to lie down and sleep but his brain wouldn't stop working. All he could hear in his head was the sound of Mercedes sobs once she got the news from Holly that there was something wrong with the baby. All he could see was the sight of Mercedes lifeless body lying on that cold operating table. He didn't know if he would ever be able to close his eyes again without seeing that.

"Sam!"

Sam turned sharply in his seat to find Holly regarding him with worried eyes as she stood in the doorway of her office. She had changed into fresh scrubs and with the exception of the tight, pinched lines around her mouth there was almost no evidence of the harrowing procedure she had just been through.

"How is she?" Sam asked without any preamble, "When can I see her?"

"Calm down, Sam." Holly pleaded softly as she made her way to her chair across from him, "first we need to talk."

"What happened?" He demanded, "She was fine one minute and then she was dying the next! What the hell happened?"

"A placental abruption."

"A what?"

"Mercedes suffered from a placental abruption and I fear it was something that had been happening for a while."

"I don't understand. If it had been happening for a while why didn't you catch it?"

"It's not that simple, Sam. At Mercedes' last check-up everything was fine and there was no reason to suspect that something could be wrong. I believe that the placenta didn't start to detach until a few days ago."

"Detach?"

"Yes, that's what a placental abruption is. The placenta is what provides all the oxygen and nutrients to the baby. Most of the time everything is fine but then there are times when the placental detaches itself from the uterus and it cause complications for the baby and the mother. Sometimes if the mother is lucky the abruption is only partial and she can have a normal delivery at a time when the baby is more developed, but in some cases, like Mercedes', the abruption is total and the baby has to be taken immediately."

"So, the placenta detaching is what caused Mercedes to…to…"

"Flat-line?" Holly provided the word when it became clear that Sam couldn't get it out. "Pretty much. In some cases with a placental abruption one of the early warning signs is vaginal bleeding. Mercedes had none and it was because there was blood trapped between the uterus and the placenta. Once the baby was out she started hemorrhaging and it caused her to go into shock. It was touch and go for a second because she was losing an enormous amount of blood but we were able to get it under control. Thankfully we were able to do this without having to give her a hysterectomy."

"A hysterectomy?" Sam asked breathlessly as his heart clenched.

"Yes, if we wouldn't have been able to get the bleeding under control then we would have had to perform a hysterectomy but like I said, we were lucky and it didn't come to that."

"So now what?"

"Now, we wait. Mercedes' body has been through a lot these last few days, especially today, and she needs rest."

"How long do you think it'll take?"

"I don't know Sam, that's up to her."

"Can I see her?"

"Yes, I think the nurses should have her settled into recovery by now."

Holly led him out of her office and down the hall and into a spacious low-lit recovery room. Sam's eyes immediately found Mercedes and he tried to rush forward to her side but he was stopped by Holly's firm grip on his arm.

"I know you're anxious Sam but she needs her rest. If you manage to rouse her now all she is going to do is worry and fret about your daughter. Let her be."

Sam nodded his head and Holly loosened her grip on his arm. He went forward again at a slower more measured pace until he was at her side. Holly grabbed a chart at the end of the bed and she glanced over it while Sam stared down at Mercedes. Sam breathed a sigh a relief at the sight of the rhythmic rise and fall of her chest but it was barely enough to tamp down the panic at how still she was. Mercedes was not the type or person that stayed still in one spot when she was sleeping. He had lost count at the number of times he had woken up in the middle of the night to find Mercedes nearly off the side of the bed even though she had started the night right smack in the middle. Seeing her like this now was killing him. Her normally creamy brown skin had a sickly gray pallor to it and she barely looked like the vibrant woman that he fell in love with. She didn't look like that woman that laughed uproariously at one of his bad jokes or the woman who would force him to slow dance with her around the living room as they listened to old 90s R&B. He reached out his hand and skimmed it along the back of her arm and he let out a shaky disjointed breath at the cold feel of her skin.

His Mercedes wasn't there anymore and all that was left of her was this empty shell. A bubble of panic rose in his chest and the room swung dizzily around him. He may not recognize his Mercedes anymore but he recognized that look. He knew all too well what death looked like because he saw it all over his mother right before she died.

"Sam!"

He heard Holly saying his name but it sounded as if they were in a tunnel and she was far away. He wanted to turn to her and find out what she wanted but first he had to get out of that room. That feeling that he felt when Mercedes flat-lined in the operating room slid back over him like black ooze. He couldn't breathe. His breath started coming out in choppy pants and he felt Holly pull him out of the room.

"SAM!" Holly shouted at him once the door had shut behind him, "what the hell is wrong with you?"

"I can't…" he panted, "I can't be…I can't be in that room…I can't watch her die."

"Sam…I know it's scary but she's needs you."

Sam blinked the hot tears out his eyes at Holly's words but he just shook his head and said, "I'm sorry, I can't do this."

He stumbled down the hall until he reached the waiting area. He sat down heavily on the first chair he came in contact with. He buried his face in his hands and he roughly scrubbed at his eyes in a vain attempt to erase the visions of his broken, bloodied, suffering family from his mind.

Sam slid out of the chair until he was sitting on the floor and he finally succumbed to the fear, pain, and sorrow that had been riding him like a monkey on his back all night. He didn't even try to muffle the loud, rough sobs that emanated from his chest.

He was going to lose them, just like he lost his mother and there was nothing he could do about it.

"Sam?"

Sam groggily lifted his head from the seat of the chair it had been resting on and he winced at the pain in the back of his neck. He looked around in surprise at his surroundings until reality set in and he remembered where he was and why he was there.

"Sam?" Came the quiet but insistent voice behind him. He stood up and turned to find Mercedes mother looking at him with a gentle but still slightly censorious look on her face.

"What are you doing out here?" She asked quietly, "Mercedes needs you, the baby needs you. Why are you out here hiding?"

"Don't." Sam answered dully, "please, just don't."

"I never took you as a coward Sam, but yet, here you are running."

"I'm not running!"

"Then why aren't you where you're supposed to be? My daughter and granddaughter are fighting for their lives and you're sitting out here hiding?"

"I'm not hiding I just…I can't do this. Not again."

"Do what again?"

"I watched my mother die. I saw her laying in bed, much like the one Mercedes is in right now suffering endlessly until the doctor's took mercy on her and had her so doped up that at the end she didn't know anything or anyone. I watched her eyes glaze over until there was nothing there anymore. I watched her pant for breath until she stopped breathing altogether. Watching my mother die almost killed me but watching Mercedes do the same thing will kill me."

"The doctors say that there is no reason to think that Mercedes won't make a full recovery in time all we have to do is have faith—"

"Faith?" Sam scoffed, "Faith has gotten me nowhere but alone. I had faith that my mother would live but she died anyway. I had faith my father could survive without mother but he dropped dead on me too. I had faith that I had found love but I got left at the altar. I had faith that my brother and I could mend our differences but he betrayed me in the worst way possible. I had faith that me and Mercedes could have a happy life together but look at where we are right now. Having faith hasn't done a damn thing for me."

"You need to see your daughter."

"I've already seen her," he retorted stubbornly. "I saw her covered in tape and tubes and wires and I—I can't do it."

"Wow…" Marilyn murmured as she shook her head, "so this is the father you're going to be? Yes, I said going to be because even if you don't have faith I have more than enough to go around for all of us. My daughter is going to get better and my granddaughter is too and when they get better they are going to need a man in their life that they can count on. Is that you, Sam? I know you love them but you have to love them when things are hard and painful not just when it's all easy and fun."

"I don't know what to do." Sam finally choked out, "I don't know how to fix this."

"It's not up to you to fix it, Sam, that's where faith comes in. I know you've lost so much in the past and there are no guarantees for the future but you need to believe that your family is going to be okay right now. You need to believe that there is someone out there that is looking out for the ones you love. You have to believe that they can beat this. Mercedes is strong and I have no doubt that little girl is strong too, but they need a little help. They need you."

Marilyn's hand touched his cheek to wipe away tears that he hadn't even realized had fallen and he leaned his face into her warm palm.

"I'm scared," he whispered, "I'm scared of losing them."

"I know sweetheart, I know." Marilyn pulled him in for a hug and he allowed himself to be engulfed by her soothing warmth.

Marilyn pulled away before taking a step back and holding out a hand for Sam to take. He stared at it for a long time before taking a deep breath and grasping it. She led him down the hallway and back into Mercedes room. Holly was once again checking on her patient and when she saw Sam her eyes narrowed warily.

"Are you okay?" She asked while sending a quick glance in Marilyn's direction.

"He's fine," Marilyn answered on his behalf, "he just needed a moment to process everything but all is well now, right Sam?"

"Right." He murmured as he kept his eyes on Mercedes' still form.

"Good. Now, Dr. Holliday didn't you say something about taking me to see my granddaughter?"

"Right this way, Marilyn." Holly said sweetly but her features darkened minutely when she passed Sam and she whispered harshly to him, "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yes,"

"Good, I like you Sam, but Mercedes is my patient and her well-being comes first. If you can't handle being in here then don't be."

Sam could feel Marilyn's eye boring into him so he straightened his shoulders and look Holly in the eyes and firmly said, "I will be fine, I promise."

The steely look melted from Holly's eyes and she gave him a quick pat on the shoulder before saying, "That's good to hear. Now, if you'll excuse us I have to go take Grandma to go meet her new grandbaby!"

Sam smiled faintly as the two women exited the room but the smile quickly evaporated as he made his way to Mercedes' bedside. All of the fear from earlier came hurtling back as he slowly inched his way to her side. Once he was next to her he looked down on her sleeping face and he expelled a shaky breath at the sight. The grayish pallor from before was gone and her breathing seemed to be more even and relaxed. He ran the tip of his finger down her arm and tried to swallow around the lump in his throat at how warm and soft her skin felt again.

"Hey, sweetie," he choked out in a thick voice, "It's been a long day…a really, really long day, hasn't it?"

Sam pulled up a chair and sat down before grabbing Mercedes' left hand and bringing it up to his mouth. He ran his lips almost absent-mindedly over the back of her hand as he watched the rhythmic rise and fall of her chest.

"I'm so sorry," he finally whispered against her hand, "I should have been here every second but I couldn't handle it and I left. Seeing you like this…it's just not right. This isn't how it was supposed to happen. Do you remember all the nights we would lay in bed and talk about how the delivery was going to happen? Me running around like a chicken with its head cut off while you were cool and calm. Your mom was going to be there in the delivery room with us but not Kurt because the sight of blood makes him woozy. You were going to be a trooper and turn down the epidural at first but in the end you would give in just like we all knew you would. I was going to be by your side holding your hand and telling you how much I loved you while you screamed that you hated me for doing this to you. Then when the baby came I was going to cut the umbilical cord and they were going to put her on your chest and—"

Sam stopped talking because the tightness in his throat would allow another word to escape. He swallowed roughly a few times before clearing his throat saying quietly, "and we were going to look at each other and say, 'she's perfect,'. Then in a couple of days we were going to take her home and put her in that damn crib and spend hours watching her sleep. That is what was supposed to happen. Why do things never work out for us?"

Sam wiped roughly at the tears slipping down his cheeks before gruffly saying, "Call me crazy but I'm starting to think I'm cursed. Maybe you are better off without me." He laughed humorlessly, "I'm sure your delivery would have been a walk in the park if I wasn't involved. Maybe you had the right idea all those months ago when you left, maybe you have someone watching over you that was trying to steer you in the right direction but me being who I am just fucked it all up for you by dragging you back into my life."

Sam laid Mercedes' hand back on the bed before rising from the chair and kicking it back with his foot. He started pacing back and forth at the side of the bed as he became more and more agitated.

"Your mother told me I should have faith, but faith in what? In who? I had faith in my love for you and our baby but it wasn't enough to save either one of you from this pain. I had faith in my mother's strength but she wasn't strong enough to fight that cancer that ravaged her body. What is faith? What is the purpose of believing in something that breaks your heart time and time again?"

Sam stopped pacing and looked down at Mercedes peaceful face and tear welled in his eyes, "I should let you go," he choked out, "I love you so much it hurts but being with me isn't good for you. Maybe you should just leave the second you have a chance. Yes, that's it…you should just leave. It'll kill me but at least I know that the dark cloud that is my existence won't follow you for the rest of your life."

Sam's hands were clenched into fists so tight he felt as if they may start cramping but he nodded his head jerkily as if Mercedes could see it.

"That's it…you are going to leave, okay? The second you're back on your feet you're going to move on with your life and you're going to be okay, without me."

"No…"

Sam's pacing had taken him back towards the end of the bed but the sound of the whispered croak had him spinning around. He rushed forward but he let out a disappointed sigh when he found Mercedes' eyes still closed. Clearly, he imagined what he selfishly wanted her to say.

Sam pulled the chair back closer to the bed and he sat down heavily in it. He picked Mercedes hand back up and held it up against his cheek, needing the slight warmth that was emanating from her.

"I don't think I know how to live without you," Sam started after a long silence filled only by the soothing sounds of the machines in the room. "I've been floating through life for so long that I didn't even realize what it was like to live until I met you. I don't want to go back to that emptiness, to those meaningless relationships that will never amount to anything. I need for you to be okay, I need for our baby to be okay but I'm too scared to hope that you will be. I would give anything to hear your voice again. I would give everything I own to hold our daughter but there is nothing I have that can save either of you. What kind of a man am I if I can't protect my family? You need better than me…you deserve better than me and I hope you find it."

Sam's voice broke and he laid his head on the bed next to Mercedes' thigh. The overwhelming exhaustion of the day caught up to him again and before he could stop it his body was wracked with dry, heaving sobs that he couldn't control. He cried for Mercedes, he cried for their baby and he cried for himself. He cried because his heart was literally breaking a he had no hope that it would ever be mended.

As his sobs finally lessened he suddenly became aware of the soft caress gently tugging at the mussed strands of his blonde hair. He raised his tear swollen eyes to see Mercedes watching him.

"Mercedes?" He choked out.

"Yes…" she whispered faintly as she struggled to keep her eyes open.

A strangled laugh erupted from Sam's chest as he raised his hand to rub his thumb carefully over Mercedes' cheek.

"Don't…"she breathed out before pausing to lick her dry lips, "don't ever say anything like that again."

"What?"

"I'm not…leaving…I…pro—promised."

"But Mercedes…"

"No." She answered a little louder, "No one's leaving…we're a family now."

"I just don't want you to be hurt anymore."

"You are so…arrogant." She said as she blinked rapidly in what Sam assumed was an effort to try and stay awake. "Life is hard, Sam. You don't hold the monopoly on misery."

"I know that."

"Do you, really?"

"I—" Sam started to answer but no words would come out. She was right, he didn't know that, or at the very least he didn't accept it to be true. So many bad things had happened in his life that he had come to the point where he expected them to happen and when they did in his mind it was something he deserved.

"I love you," he answered helplessly as if that explained everything, "but I don't think I deserve you…or our baby."

"What about what I think? If I didn't think you deserved me or our baby then I would have never accepted your proposal. Our lives may have been one bump in the road after the other but we've made it through and we will continue to make it through. I have in faith in us Sam. I know we can make it."

Mercedes lay back heavily on the pillows and she expelled a long breath before opening her eyes again and watching Sam warily. He grabbed her hand again and kissed the back of it before looking into her eyes and saying, "I have faith in us too."

"Really?" Mercedes asked doubtfully, "you're not just saying that to placate me?"

"Losing you terrifies me. You being in pain, or hurt, or sad devastates me. I want to protect you the best way I know how and since I think I'm the problem, keeping you away from me seems to be the obvious solution."

"I—"

"But," Sam said pointedly, interrupting Mercedes' impending tirade before she got worked up, "while I believe that I have this dark cloud hanging over my life I also believe that I must have done something right to have you in it. I just want what's best for you Mercedes—"

"You're what's best for me. If you say you believe in us then you have to believe that no matter what life throws at us, good or bad, we're going to make it through. Do you believe that?"

"It's easy to believe anything when you're asking me to."

"Sam…answer the question."

Sam stared down at her as he thought long and hard about what she was saying. He was scared, so scared to have faith but he wasn't lying when he told her that it was so much easier to believe in something when she was asking him to. When she was lying lifeless on that bed and he felt like she was slipping through his fingers his faith slipped right along with it. Without her he wasn't half the man he was with her and he wasn't ashamed to admit that he would fight a million battles with her by his side but he couldn't survive one without her. She was his sun shining through the proverbial 'dark cloud' over his life. She was the thing that had pulled him out of the depths of despair that he didn't realize he had been steeped in for years. She was his faith. She was his hope. She was his everything. As long as he had her then he could make it through anything.

"Yes." He finally said and the jagged pieces of his broken heart started to mend themselves back together at her answering smile.

He leaned down and kissed her lightly on her lips and she hummed lightly in response which spurned the first real smile to cross Sam's face all night. He leaned his forehead against hers and blew out a relieved breath.

"Sam…"

"Hmmm?"

"What the hell happened tonight? And where is our baby?"

"It's been a month." Sam said quietly as he stared down at the two tombstones in front of him. "It's been a month exactly since the day my daughter was born."

"I wish you could've met her, Mom." Sam said directing his comments to the smaller tombstone that he had cleaned off earlier. "She's one hell of a firecracker. My baby girl is a fighter and the world is not ready for her." He chuckled softly, "I thought I was going to lose her at the beginning but I should have known better. She has too much of her stubborn Mama in her to go down without a fight."

"Hey…" came a soft voice behind him, "I heard that."

Sam turned to find Mercedes walking towards him with an amused smile on her face. In one hand she held a large black umbrella over her head and then in the other was two bouquets of flowers. He came forward and took the flowers from her hands before dropping a quick kiss on her mouth and murmuring 'thank you' against her lips.

He went over to the two tombstones and laid down the first bouquet on his Father's grave and then the second on his Mother's.

Mercedes came up beside him and slid her free hand in his before laying her head gently on his shoulder.

"I really miss them."

"I know baby."

"I wish they were here and I wish they could've met you. They would have loved you…my mom especially."

"I would've loved to have met them too."

The two stood in a companionable silence a few minutes later more before Sam squeezed her hand and asked, "Are you ready?"

"Yes," She murmured softly, "are you?"

"Yeah…let's go get our girl home."

The two gave the graves one last look before turning and heading back towards Sam's Range Rover.

"So," Sam asked as they navigated their way through the graveyard, "how much you wanna bet your mom woke her up?"

"Oh, please that's a guarantee." Mercedes answered with a laugh.

An hour later Sam, Mercedes, Marilyn and Lilliana arrived at the townhouse and in no time they were all settled in. Marilyn complained of a headache and after showering Lilliana with kisses she went to the guest room to take a nap.

In the baby's room, Mercedes crooned softly to her daughter as she rocked her gently back and forth in the old rocking chair. Sam watched from the doorway with a growing lump in his throat and thanked a God he didn't even believe in until recently for the blessing right in front of his eyes.

It has been a long month with a lot of ups and downs. Lillana's progress had been a constant rollercoaster ride that had both Sam and Mercedes' nerves on edge. The first few days after she was born she had so many complications that wracked her small body it seemed like an impossible task for her to survive. Her lungs were under-developed. She couldn't eat, she was jaundiced, and she lost weight. After the first harrowing week things started to change for the better little by little she hit all the milestones she needed to hit. At right at five pounds she still seemed too tiny in Sam's opinion to be released but Holly assured them that she was okay to go home. She warned them that they still might have a bumpy road ahead of them but she told them that she had every faith that their little girl would be just fine in the long run.

Sam watched as the gently rocking of the rocking chair stopped and Mercedes looked up at him and whispered, "Can you help me?

Sam rushed over and slid the sleeping baby out of her arms. He snuggled his daughter close and buried his nose in her fine dark brown hair as he waited for Mercedes to get her bed ready. He watched in amusement as Mercedes shuffled around the crib making sure everything was in place and that there was nothing in there that should be. Finally, she gave him a nod of approval and he came forward and gently laid the baby down. He ran his thumb down her cheek before backing away so that Mercedes could fuss some more. Once the bedding had finally met her approval she took a step back and breathed a sigh of relief. Sam came behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her cheek before whispering in her ear, "This is the way it's supposed to be."

"You are such a sap," Mercedes joked but she still gave a sigh of contentment as she watched their daughter peacefully sleeping.

Half an hour later the two managed to tear themselves away from their daughter's bedside but it was mostly because of the deep rumble of Sam's stomach reminding him of the fact that he hadn't eaten all day. Mercedes dragged him downstairs while teasing him mercilessly about how his stomach was going to wake up their daughter. Once in the kitchen they both agreed that they were too lazy to cook anything so they opted to order pizza and wings from a very excited employee of a popular pizza chain that promised them their order in 30 minutes or less or it was completely free. Sam scoffed at that but was mildly surprised to find that he was proven wrong when less than 15 minutes later the doorbell rang. Both he and Mercedes exchanged a surprised look but he just shrugged and grabbed his wallet out of his pocket as he headed towards the front door.

When he pulled the door open he expected to be hit in the face with the smell of their pizzas wafting from the box but he was disappointed when all he found on the other side of the door was a large, gray-haired black man staring at him sternly.

"I take it you're not the pizza delivery guy?" Sam jokingly questioned as he gave the man a once over.

"No, I'm not." The mystery man answered gruffly as he looked down at Sam. "Does Mercedes Jones live here?"

Sam bristled at the mention of Mercedes name from a man he didn't know and his eyes narrowed as he surveyed him closer, "who wants to know?"

"I do. My name is—"

The man was cut off by the sound of glass shattering behind them. Sam turned to see Mercedes standing there surrounded in a puddle of broken glass with a face that was a mask of shocked horror and disbelief.

"Daddy?"

Sam's own eyes widened in disbelief and he whirled back around to find the man now standing there with a smug smile on his face and an outstretched hand.

"Hello, I'm Mercedes' father."


	31. Daddy' Little Girl

"You're not going."

Mercedes rolled her eyes as she straightened several perfume bottles on her vanity.

"Mercedes—"

"I heard you the first time, Sam." She snapped as she looked up and met his angry eyes in the mirror. "I am not a child and you are not my father. I can go wherever I please."

"Fine, I can't tell you what to do so I'll ask you instead, please don't go."

Mercedes sighed heavily as she stared at Sam's pleading gaze in the mirror. Her resolve faltered a bit but it didn't break. She had to this, with or without his support.

"Sam, look, I get why you don't want me to do this, but I need to go. I need to know why he abandoned me."

"You know why! He's a selfish bastard and he's never given a damn about you. That's why he left!"

Mercedes flinched at Sam's cruel words but she shook her head firmly and turned on her seat to face him, "that may be true but I need to know for myself, once and for all."

Sam heaved out a loud sigh as he threw his arms up in the air, "why are you doing this?" he demanded. "After the month we have had the last thing we need is more stress in our lives and you're just inviting it in with open arms."

"I need—"

"You need what?" Sam yelled, "To get your heart broken again? To feel worthless because of some flippant remark he makes?

"I'm not—"

"You've had trust issues for years because of this asshole and when you finally start to get over them you decide to bring him back in your life so he can fuck you up some more."

"That is enough, Sam!" Mercedes shouted angrily, "you may not agree with my choice but I'll be damned before I sit here and let you berate me for it."

The two stared at each other for a long moment before Sam finally muttered, "I'm going to check on the baby," before stalking out of the room.

After the door shut firmly behind him Mercedes sighed and turned back to face her vanity. She couldn't help but notice the bags under her eyes and the tight lines around her mouth that seemingly sprang up a week ago and only seemed to get more and more pronounced as the days went on. It had been a week since her father had showed up on their doorstep and ever since then they had been living under a continuous cloud of tension and there were moments that Mercedes felt so wound up that she thought she would spiral out of control at any second. Sam was right they didn't need the extra drama in their lives but Mercedes found that she couldn't help herself, she needed to know. It was a dark cloud that had been hanging over her life for as long as she could remember and it was time for it to be gone one or the other. She knew her mother and Sam didn't understand this compulsion that she had to speak with her father but it was there and she couldn't ignore it.

Mercedes continued gazing at her dull brown eyes in the mirror before heaving a heavy sigh. She picked up a make-up brush and started to work on her tired eyes as her thoughts drifted to the night her father arrived.

"Daddy?"

Mercedes choked out in a small voice as she stared in the face of the man that she thought she'd never see again.

She watched in detached disbelief as he reached out his hand to Sam and introduced himself as her father. She hated to admit it but her heart gave a little flutter at his words. She continued to watch as he held out his hand expectedly at Sam who just stared at it wordlessly. Finally, her father got the hint and lowered his hand while sending a sheepish glance in her direction.

"Why are you here? And how in the hell did you find out where we lived?"

"You must be Sam, let me introduce myself I'm—"

"I know who the fuck you are, not get off of my property!"

"Sam!" Mercedes gasped out when she finally found her voice, "that is not necessary."

Sam whirled around to stare at her disbelief before stalking towards her and harshly whispering, "What are you talking about? I don't have to be nice to this bastard."

"He's still my father," She snapped, "you don't have to be so rude."

Sam continued staring at her with a confused look on his face until finally she had enough of feeling his eyes bore into hers. She pushed past him and cautiously made her way to the front door. As she got closer she took a second to take in her father's appearance. It had been 8 years since she had seen Richard Green and he had changed so much since then, and not in a good way. He skin hung loosely as if he had gained a considerable amount of weight and then lost it too fast. His once shiny black hair was now peppered liberally with gray and the buzz cut he wore faithfully for years had turned into a dense, dry, tightly curled mess on his head. His clothes appeared to be new but they still hung around his frame and looked to be a size or two too big.

She walked the remaining steps between them and she met his listless brown eyes, he smiled at her gently but the smile didn't quite reach his eyes. He held his arms out towards her for a hug but she just glanced at his outstretched arms coolly until he lowered them.

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm came to see you"

"Why?"

"I heard about you and the baby and I wanted to come and check on you."

Mercedes narrowed her eyes at that but he seemed genuine so she didn't question it any further.

"How did you find out where I lived?"

"I went to your job and—"

"And they gave you our address?" Sam shouted from behind her in disbelief.

Her father looked instantly uncomfortable but he quickly assured Sam that no one gave him their address.

"I was going in to see if I could set up a meeting with you Mercedes but when I was walking in I saw you and Sam walking out."

"So what…you followed us home?"

"More or less," he answered sheepishly.

"Why didn't you say something instead of stalking us?"

"I was ashamed," he answered and the contrite expression on his face matched his words, "it's been years since we saw each other and I didn't think it was right to bumrush you in front of your job."

"But you thought it was okay to lurk around like some creep?"

"Sam!" Mercedes hissed as she whirled around to look at him.

He stared at her unapologetically before shifting cold eyes to look at Mercedes' father, "why are you here?" He snapped rudely.

"Like I said, I want to check on my daughter and my granddaughter."

"Well, it's nice of you to show up a MONTH after your granddaughter was born. A whole MONTH after your daughter almost died. A MONTH after your granddaughter struggled day in and day out to be strong enough to come home. It's nice as always that you were there when you were needed."

Richard's already lukewarm eyes turned bitterly cold at Sam's words. The affected contrite expression on his face instantly hardened into a scowl and his hand clenched at his side.

"Listen here boy, I don't care who you think you are but I'm not going to stand here and let you talk to me any kind of way."

"Then get the hell out." Sam snarled through gritted teeth, "you weren't invited and you're not wanted so go!"

"THAT IS ENOUGH!"

The tension in the room snapped like a stretched rubber band at the sound of the feral cry at the bottom of the stairs. Mercedes, Sam, and Richard all turned to find Marilyn glaring at them angrily. Out of the corner of her eye Mercedes could see Sam lower his head shamefully before lifting it back up so that he could apologize to Marilyn. His words fell on deaf ears though because Marilyn didn't even glance in his direction as she stalked past him towards Richard. Mercedes watched in stunned disbelief as her mother reached back her hand and smacked the hell out of her father's face.

The force of the blow caused Richard to stumble back a few steps but he quickly righted himself and glared down at Marilyn.

"As always, it's good to see you Marilyn."

"Go to Hell," she hissed cruelly, surprising Mercedes once again with her choice of words, "you are not wanted here."

"I didn't come here to see you or him," Richard answered sending a withering glance in Sam's direction, "I came here to see my daughter and I'm not leaving unless she asks me to."

Three pairs of eyes swung in Mercedes direction and she wished that they floor would open up and swallow her whole so she wouldn't have to make this decision. A part of her wanted him gone but there was a part of her, a small part, that wanted him to stay because as always that part of her believed that this time would be different.

"You should go." Mercedes finally answered after a long stretch of silence, "this is not only my home but Sam's as well and he shouldn't be disrespected in it."

Mercedes heard the two simultaneous sighs of relief coming from her mother and Sam and her heart clenched at the sight of the hurt in her father's eyes.

"I'm sorry." She whispered.

"I understand, it's just…can we have dinner?"

"I don't know if—"

"Just dinner, Mercedes. I know it's a lot to ask but I would really like to spend some time with you."

"I…"

"Don't answer now. I know all of this is a bit overwhelming. Think about it for a few days and let me know." He thrust a small white card with a number hastily scribbled on it in blue ink.

Mercedes looked up at him and nodded slightly and he grinned widely at her. He inched forward as if he wanted to embrace her but the warning look in her eyes had him visibly rethinking that decision.

"I look forward to your call," he said gently before turning and walking out the door.

After the door clicked shut the room was left in a heavy silence for what seemed like an eternity to Mercedes.

"Give me that card," Marilyn snapped, "I don't know why you do this to yourself Mercedes!"

She turned around to find both Sam and her mother regarding with angry, accusatory looks on their faces.

"Please don't start you two, I know what I'm doing."

"And what is that exactly? Are you going to call him?"

"I don't know, Mama." Mercedes answered tiredly, "he said to take a few days so that's what I'm going to do."

"Why?" Marilyn burst out, "why must you put yourself through this? You are just setting yourself up to be hurt again."

"I can handle it—"

"No you can't! You have proved time and time again then when it comes to your father—"

Mercedes pushed herself between her mother and Sam and headed towards the stairs ignoring the cries from her mother to stop. She ran up the stairs and went straight to her daughter's room and closed the door shut tightly behind her. She walked over to the crib and looked down on her sleeping baby and felt herself calm down almost immediately. The tight feeling in her chest eased as she trailed one hand gently down Lilliana's back.

"Am I crazy, Lily?" Mercedes whispered to her sleeping daughter, "am I insane for actually wanting to talk to my father?"

Outside the door Mercedes could hear her mother's raised voice and Sam's deeper, calmer one followed by a loud door slam. She sighed heavily at the sound knowing that she was going to have to deal with her mother eventually. She knew Marilyn meant well and in this particular situation she was probably right but that still didn't help to suppress the need that Mercedes felt growing inside her to find out why her father showed up again after all these years. Despite her reservations Mercedes' mind was made up, she just hoped she wouldn't regret her decision.

With one last gentle pat Mercedes turned and headed out of Lily's nursery. She walked down the hallway towards the other bedrooms and paused briefly outside the guest room. She could hear several items being thrown unnecessarily around the room so she decided that approaching her mother tonight would not be wise. She turned away and went towards the master bedroom, and when she stepped inside she found something that caused her heart to stutter slightly. Sam sat on the edge of their bed and his blonde head was buried in his hands.

"Sam?"

She reached forward to run her hands through his hair but the second he felt her touch he flinched away. Mercedes jerked her hand back and looked down at him with sad eyes.

"Sam please, talk to me."

He looked up at her and his green eyes shone dully in the muted light of the bedroom.

"What are you going to do?" He asked as he looked pointedly at the small card she was holding tightly.

"I don't yet…I'm not sure." She answered evasively.

"Stop lying," he answered wearily but without malice, "you knew what you were going to do when you took that card from him."

Mercedes was silent for a moment before finally sitting down next to him on the bed.

"What do you think I should do?"

"Does it matter what I think?"

"Of course it matters! I love you, Sam, your opinion is important to me."

"Ok then, don't go. Don't let him hurt you any more."

The pleading note in his voice struck a nerve and Mercedes' throat tightened as she looked into his eyes.

"Sam…he's my father, I can't jus—"

"I knew it!" He stated angrily, "I could feel it when we were downstairs, you're going to meet him aren't you?"

"You and my mother are over-exaggerating, it's just dinner. I can handle an hour with my dad. I'm not that same teenaged girl hanging on to her father's every word. "

"Aren't you?"

"What? No! I'm not as fragile and weak-minded as you seem to think I am." She spat out coldly, "I don't know whether to be touched that you and my mother are so worried about me or insulted that you think I'm some mental case that's going to freak out if I spend too much time in my father's presence."

"Nobody thinks you're a mental case, Mercedes. But yes, we are worried about you and we have every right to be."

"Fine. Thank you for the concern, Sam. It's been duly noted."

She opened her mouth to say more but her words were shut off by the sound of the doorbell. Sam glanced at his watch and let out a sardonic snort, "45 minutes…looks, like we're getting free pizza after all. Guess this night isn't a total bust."

Mercedes rolled her eyes but didn't respond to Sam's jab. She could feel him staring at her and she can tell he wanted to say something else but the second peal of the doorbell had him getting up from the bed and going downstairs to pay for their meal.

Once he was gone Mercedes got up from the bed and walked over to her vanity and sat down and gazed at troubled face in the mirror. She was making the right decision, she had to believe that. One way or the other she would get the answers that she had so desperately wanted for years.

A week later Mercedes stared at the same mirror and replayed that night over in her head, ever since then Sam had probably spoken to her a handful of times and most of those conversations focused solely on the baby. Her mother was even worse, that next day she had screamed and ranted at her before switching gears and coddling and cajoling but once Mercedes made it clear that she wasn't changing her mind Marilyn gave her the cold shoulder. Mercedes knew her mother was hurt by her decision and didn't understand why she was doing it and that was the only thing keeping her from being upset about her reactions.

Being in this house the last week had been hell on everyone and Mercedes just wanted it to be over but she wanted her answers as well. Ultimately she just hoped that what she was looking for from her father was worth all the strife between her and those she loved the most.

She put the finishing touches on her make-up and hair before standing and giving herself a once over. Her fitted black top, skinny jeans, and nude pumps were simple, understated, and classy. She grabbed her black trench coat from the bed and left the room and headed towards the nursery.

The door was cracked so Mercedes pushed it open gently and what she found had her heart swelling with emotion. Sam had taken off his shirt and he had Lilliana cuddled into his warm chest. Lily blinked sleepily as Sam hummed low under his breath as he danced around the room with her.

Mercedes swallowed around the lump in her throat as she witnessed her daughter having something that she never had.

"I love her more than life, you know," Sam's quiet voice snapped Mercedes out of her reverie and she looked up from their daughter to find him staring at her.

"I know," She whispered back.

"There is nothing on Earth that I wouldn't do for this little girl."

"I know Sam…why are you telling me this?"

"Because you need to know. You need to know what a real father thinks about his child."

Mercedes hastily wiped away the tears that dropped on her cheeks before walking purposefully across the room to drop a kiss on Lily's head. She avoided eye contact with Sam and turned to walk out of the room but she was pulled up short by the strong, but gentle hand on her wrist.

"I'm proud of you," he whispered in her ear, "I don't know why you have to do this and I wished more than anything that you wouldn't but I'm proud of you nonetheless. We both are." Sam nodded his head in Lily's direction and she let out a loud yawn in response.

Mercedes giggled quietly at her daughter before turning her attention to Sam, "earlier…all week really, you've been so mad and—"

"I'm still mad. I don't want you to go because I don't trust that man and if he does anything to hurt you I swear to God…" his voice trailed off but his expression remained thunderous.

"I will be okay, I promise."

Sam looked down at for a second before nodding his head reluctantly, "okay but I'll be here no matter what."

"I know."

Sam gave her a slight smile before leaning down to give a small kiss. She hummed appreciatively at feeling his lips again after a week and she couldn't help the wide smile that crossed her face.

"Bye baby girl," she whispered against her daughter's head as she gave her another kiss, "don't give Daddy too much trouble, okay?"

Lily's quiet snore was the only response and the two of them shared a laugh. A weight that Mercedes didn't realize had been sitting on her chest for a week finally started to ease up.

Maybe this dinner with her father wouldn't be so bad after all?

Half and hour later Mercedes started to feel the first stirrings of regret and she realized that she really didn't want to be there. She wanted to be at home with her fiancé and their baby watching a crappy sitcom or in the kitchen with her mother trying to soak up as my knowledge as she could before she went back to Ohio. Hell, she'd rather be at work than be here. That need that had been so sharp and clear just a week ago suddenly felt like a huge monkey on her back weighing her down.

She looked around the swanky restaurant that her father picked and wondered again why she was here. Even with all of Sam's money a place like this was simply not their scene. They would both happily eat cheap Chinese take-out then come to a place like this. The air in the room seemed stilted and their was a hush across the room that almost made one feel as if they were in a library with a strict librarian hovering over their shoulder. It was cold and uninviting even with all of its opulence and she couldn't for the life of her understand why her father would think to meet her at this place.

The ball of dread only seem to grow as she was lead to her table to the point where she thought it would crush her from the inside out. As her table came into view she saw her father get out of his seat so that he could slide hers out. The maitre'd looked slightly perturbed to have his job stolen but he just gave them a tight grin and informed them that they're server would be with them shortly.

Once they both were seated they gave each other awkward grins before focusing their attention on their silverware, plates, glasses, and about every other thing they could look at aside from each other.

Finally, Richard cleared his throat loudly and said, "I'm so happy you joined me Mercedes, after what happened at your house I wasn't sure you would come."

"I almost didn't, I've been going back and forth all week." The words came out colder than Mercedes intended and she felt bad after seeing Richard's slight flinch.

"I understand, I know that choosing to meet me wasn't easy considering how your mother and…that man reacted."

Mercedes bristled at him referring to Sam as 'that man' and her accidentally cold voice turned purposefully cold as she said, "his name is Sam and he is my fiancé."

"I apologize, Mercedes but you have to understand I'm not used to being treated the way tha—Sam treated me that day."

"Well, you have to understand where he was coming from."

"Bad manners—"

"Sam, doesn't care much about manners," Mercedes cut him off curtly, "yes, his language was vulgar but it was his home and you were an uninvited guest in it. I apologize if you were offended but I'm not going to apologize for what he said or did."

"Fair enough," he finally answered stiffly after a long pause, "I apologize for turning up the way I did, maybe if I had done things differently myself things wouldn't have escalated the way the did."

"Maybe," she allowed even though she didn't believe it.

Before either one of them could began talking again their waiter showed up to take their orders. Mercedes just asked for water while her father ordered an expensive bottle of wine. She ordered the house salad even though she knew she had no intention of eating it while her father ordered an expensive crab cake appetizer and steak dish for his entrée.

"I thought we were going to talk?" Mercedes asked as the waiter walked away with their order.

"We are, but this is one of the best restaurants in the City, you are missing out on one of hell of a treat."

"That's too bad," She answered blandly.

As her father nervously played with his silverware she took a moment to take in his appearance, unlike the last time she saw him he seemed well groomed this time. His salt and pepper hair looked as if it had been cut and it was once again gleaming like she remembered it. His clothes looked sharply tailored which was a sharp contrast from the misshapen, ill-fitting clothes he wore the last time she had seen him. Logically speaking his appearance could just be explained as him dressing for the occasion but Mercedes couldn't help but feel as if something was off about the whole thing.

Her eyes drifted to his left hand and she noticed the ring were his wedding band should be was missing.

"Where is your wife?"

"Who?"

"Your wife? Traci was her name, right?"

Richard's eyes darkened menacingly for just a flash of a moment before he fixed it and smiled gamely, "Uh, Traci and I…things didn't work out with us. We divorced a couple of years ago."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Mercedes replied even though she was lying through her teeth.

"And your daughter…my little sister, how is she? She should be about 10 now right?"

"11" He answered curtly.

"What does she do, is she into sports, ballet, Sci-fi movies—"

"I would prefer if we talked about something else." He answered in the same curt voice.

"Why don't you want me to know about my sister?"

"It's not that, Mercedes—"

"Oh really, because that's what it was before. Do you even remember before? In the park?"

"Mercedes, that was years ago and I would like to move past it."

"How do you move past something you never dwelled on in the first place?" Mercedes asked angrily.

"Mercedes, seeing you upset did bother me, despite what you may think.

"Really? Then why not stop me? Why not contact me afterwards and apologize? Why not just introduce me to my damn sister instead of trying to pretend like I didn't exist?"

"It was complicated—"

"Well let me simplify it, I was the dirty little secret that you didn't want your wife to know about."

"Merce—"

"No! That's it isn't it? Just admit it!"

"Fine! My wife didn't know about you—she still doesn't know about you and neither does Mia."

Mercedes knew the truth but it still hurt hearing it out loud.

"Mia…that's my sister's name?" She asked quietly.

"Yes."

"That's beautiful…why did you never tell them about me? I can almost understand you not doing it at the park, but never? I can't understand that."

"Because…look, why does it matter now?"

"Why. Not." She repeated through gritted teeth.

Richard was silent for a long time before saying, "With Traci and Mia I felt like a new man, I didn't want things from my past interfering with my new life and future."

"Things from your past? Mercedes choked out, "I was just a thing from your past?"

"I was stupid and selfish, I can see that now. If I could go back and change it, believe me I would."

"Change what, exactly?"

"I would have been nicer to you…I would have visited more. I would have tried harder. I would have been different."

"And my sister?"

"I would have talked to her mother and see what she wanted to do in that situation—"

"Unbelievable." Mercedes said with a half-laugh, "you are unbelievable."

"What do you want me to say Mercedes, I'm just being honest."

"That's the problem! You haven't changed, you are still the same selfish asshole you've always been."

"HEY!" He growled, hitting his hand hard on the table and causing the glasses to rattle, "you will NOT speak to me like that!"

Mercedes glanced around and noticed several diners glancing in their direction and she gritted her teeth and put on a false smile until most of the diners went back to their meals.

"Respect is earned Richard," she spat once she turned her attention back to her father, "you didn't deserve it then and you sure as hell don't deserve it now."

"I'm you father!"

"No, you're not."

A heavy silence fell over the table and Mercedes and Richard eyed each other warily. They had only been there for about 10 minutes but it felt as if they had been battling for days. This had been such a bad idea. She didn't know this man and it became clearer and clearer with every word that came out of his mouth. This visit wasn't about reconciliation it was about something else and she was damn well going to figure out what it is.

"Why are you here?"

"I told you I was here to see you and my granddaughter."

"Oh really? You want to see your granddaughter? I have about a million pictures of her on my phone but you never asked to see one of them. You never asked what she looked like, or what her name was, or what happened when she was born. You don't give a damn about that little girl, just like you don't give a damn about me so again I ask, why are you here?"

"Lower your voice, people are starting to stare—"

"I don't care. I want to know once and for all why you are here. Do not lie to me."

Richard bristled at her tone and his face took on a hard edge to it.

"How did you find out about me, Sam, and our baby?"

"I have a friend—"He started off uncertainly, clearly lying, "I have a friend that knows…uh, I know someone who knows someone close to Marilyn…and…and…"

"You're lying." Mercedes said simply, "you're lying and I want to know the truth. Only close family knew about me and the baby being in the hospital and I know for a fact that there isn't a single one of those people that would ever tell you about me or my baby."

"There was an announcement in the paper…"

"No, there wasn't." She snapped, "We never put anything in the paper about Lily's birth. The only thing that was ever in the paper was….ah, I see."

Mercedes started to chuckle as the realization came over. She was starting to think she finally lost it because this was no laughing matter but instead of feeling sad or betrayed she actually felt relieved.

"The only thing that was ever in the paper was the announcement of the very large monetary donation that Sam gave to the hospital's maternity ward. That's what you saw, isn't it?"

The article came out about three weeks after Lilliana had been born and it lavished praise on Sam for the 2.5 million dollar donation he gave to the hospital's maternity ward thanking them for saving his fiancé and daughter.

"I should've known," Mercedes said, almost to herself, "it was right there in front of me and I was too stupid to see it."

"Merce—"

"The article mentioned that Sam and I worked together—where we worked…that's how you found us! I only went back to the office a few times once I got of the hospital so you were lucky to have found us. What did you do? Sit outside the office everyday hoping for a glimpse of us?"

"It's not what you think—"

"Why are you here?"

"I told you, I wanted to see you—"

"STOP LYING! Lie to me again, and I'm walking out that door and I will never look back, do you understand me? Why are you here and what do you want with my family?"

Richard glared at her for a second before his composure broke, his face crumpled and she could see tears welling in his eyes.

"I have no one," he finally choked out, "my wife—ex-wife remarried and she took my daughter with her. They live somewhere overseas and I have no access to them."

"Why not?" Mercedes asked suspiciously, "couldn't you have fought for custody? Or at the very least joint?"

"I…you have to understand I was weak back then…"

"What the hell does that mean?"

"I had a great job about 5 years ago but then I lost it and after that it was damn near impossible to find more work. I started to drink and then I started to gamble, I was on a downward spiral and I couldn't stop myself."

"What happened with Traci?"

"She finally had enough and found somebody else, by the time we got divorced she was already ready to marry her new guy. I think they waited about a month but that was it."

"And they just moved after that? Without consulting you first? They just took Mia out the country?"

"Not exactly…"

"What happened?"

"Traci wanted to leave but I wouldn't let her, not with Mia. I fought it for months but then…then…I had a few gambling debts and I had people coming after me. I needed the money."

"What money?"

"I owed about 75,000 dollars and there was no way I could pay that. Traci's husband knew about it and he was well-off so when he saw the opportunity he pounced. He offered me a 100 grand to sign over my rights to Mia. I was desperate…so I did."

Mercedes gasped and her eyes filled with tears for the sister she would never know.

"They left within a month. Didn't tell me where they were going or anything, it's been almost three years and I haven't seen or heard from her."

"And now?"

"I lost one daughter, I don't want to lose another—"

"You're lying." She repeated for what felt like the millionth time, "You don't give a shit about me and you never did and it's clear that you don't give a shit about Mia either. Thank God her mother had enough sense to put an ocean between the two of you."

Richard lowered his head in shame but Mercedes didn't feel an ounce of sympathy for him.

"Why are you here?"

"I have nothing! I need…I need help. I know I haven't been the best father but I'm still you're father. You wouldn't be here if it weren't for me. You can hate me all you want but you can't turn your back on me, you're a better person than that. You can't sit on all that money and not help. Hell, that boy gave over 2 million dollars to a hospital, don't tell me that you can't spare a few dollars for your Daddy."

Mercedes felt something dark and angry flutter inside her at the slimy way Daddy sounded coming from his lips but it was quickly expelled by the feeling of calm that descended almost immediately. She wanted answers and she got them. She wanted closure and she got it. There was just one more thing she wanted to know.

"Did you ever dance with me?"

"What?" He asked in confusion.

"When I was little…a baby, the few times when you were around, did you ever dance with me?"

"Mercedes, dancing isn't something I'm good at and—"

"It's okay," she answered, almost gently, "Sam dances with Lilliana. He loves it."

"That's…nice," Richard answered carefully, "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Nothing…and everything."

Just then the waiter came scurrying over and with great flourish he laid out their plates. Mercedes regretfully watched as he smoothed napkins and straightened glasses before stopping him and saying, "I'm sorry but we're taking this to go."

The waiter looked at her in horror before finally gritting his teeth and telling her in a strained voice that he would take care of it.

"So, back to business Richard, what exactly do you want from me and my fiancé?"

"Just a little help, not much…four maybe five?"

"Thousand?"

"Hundred thousand."

Mercedes chuckled darkly before looking at her father as if he lost his mind. "I'm sorry do you have some type of mental illness that I need to know about? Just for future reference?"

"That amount of money is a drop in the bucket for someone like Sam Evans, he probably wouldn't even notice it was gone."

Mercedes stared at him for a long time before finally saying, "And that's all you need and you'll be gone."

"With that amount of money you'll never have to see me again."

And there it was, that final nail in the coffin that Mercedes needed. That proverbial monkey crawled off her back, the heavy feeling in her chest dissipated and she felt a million pounds lighter.

The waiter scurried back over with boxes and the check. Mercedes reached in her purse and pulled out the black Amex that Sam got for her. The waiter's eyes widened briefly he scurried off again to run the card.

Mercedes reached back in her purse and pulled out a checkbook and surveyed it carefully before deciding on what amount she wanted to give. She took her time writing the check as she could feel Richard's eyes following every stroke of the pen. Just as she was finishing up the waiter came back with the receipt to sign. She quickly took care of that before signing the check as well. She gathered up her things and then rose from her chair. She walked around the table and dropped the check on the table in front of Richard. He smiled widely at her before looking down at the check.

"Wha—wait…wait a damn minute! This only says a thousand dollars on it!" Richard sputtered out in disbelief. "What am I supposed to do with this?"

"I don't know….maybe you can use it for college, or put a down payment on a car or something."

Richard's eyes narrowed dangerously as he realized that she was throwing his words back in his face.

"This isn't a joke Mercedes, I need help. Surely, you wouldn't be so cold-hearted as to deny your father? Your future husband is a multi-millionaire, YOU are going to be a multi-millionaire! This…this is nothing!"

"Exactly, but that nothing is more than you deserve. If you don't want it, don't cash it but that is the last dime you will get from me or my fiancé."

She turned away but he grabbed her wrist and dragged her back towards the table forcefully.

"This isn't over, I'll go to the press—"

"And say what?" She snapped angrily as she jerked her arm from his grasp, "that you are a deadbeat that came back into your daughter's life long enough to extort hundreds of thousands of dollars from her fiancé'? Please, by all means, go and tell the press all about that. You are pathetic and why I was stupid enough to ever think you'd change I will never know but I'm happy now that I know the truth. You will never be able to hurt me again. You will never be able to hurt my daughter. From now on you don't exist to me, you are nothing to me just like I've been nothing to you all these years."

"Mercedes, I—"

"Good-bye Daddy." Mercedes gave one last look to her father before turning and walking away.

She didn't look back.


	32. Chocolate Chip Cookies

She had been gone too long.

Sam glanced at his watch and rolled his eyes at ridiculous he was being when he realized that it had only been about 30 seconds since he had looked at it last. Mercedes had been gone for over an hour but it felt like she had been gone for days and he was becoming irrationally paranoid that something had happened.

Sam didn't know what was worse they idea of Richard turning out to be the asshole he thought he was or being some stand-up guy that just got a bad rap. If her dad was the asshole and he hurt Mercedes then the answer was simple, Sam would hunt him down and make his life a living hell. On the flip side, however, if he turned out to be a saint in disguise then more than likely he would worm his way back into Mercedes' life and if that happened then it meant that Sam would have to suck it up and play nice. Whatever the case may be he still didn't trust Richard as far as he could throw him. As far as he was concerned any man that would treat their child the way Richard treated Mercedes wasn't a man at all and he didn't deserve respect.

Sam sighed heavily as he paced across the floor of the living room again wishing he had something else to do. Lilliana had went to sleep shortly after Mercedes left and he almost wanted to go upstairs and wake her up just so that he would have something to keep him occupied. It never failed to amaze him how everything seemed to melt away when he was with his daughter. She was a perfect little of mix of him and Mercedes and he loved her with all of his heart. He couldn't imagine his life without her which is why he would never understand how Richard could go on and live his life without Mercedes in it.

The sound of pots and pans jangling in the kitchen was enough to break Sam's train of thought and bring him back to reality. He walked towards the noise and found his future mother-in-law furiously scooping huge chunks of chocolate chip cookie dough on to silicone lined baking sheets.

"Um, Marilyn…is everything alright?" He asked carefully.

She glanced up at him briefly before turning her attention back to her task, "everything's fine Sam," she answered as she grabbed the first finished pan and placed it in the oven, "I just want to get these done before Mercedes gets back."

Marilyn's voice cracked slightly and Sam looked at her in surprise and noticed that her hands were trembling slightly.

"Do you need help?"

"No," She answered as she continued plopping the dough on the baking sheets, "I need to keep busy because if I don't all I can think about is Mercedes there with that man."

Sam's eyebrows rose at the anger that came through Marilyn's voice as she indirectly mentioned Richard.

"I should have stopped her. I should have tied her to that damn chair if necessary. He is going to hurt her again and she's been through so much…"

Marilyn's voice trailed off as she threw the cookie scoop onto the counter next to the half finished cookie sheet and covered her face with her hands.

Sam came around the counter and pulled her into a hug.

"We did the right thing," he said firmly, "I know how she reacted before but I have faith in her. She's been through a lot, yes, but she's grown a lot as well. She's not that impressionable teenage girl anymore looking for her father's approval. She's a woman—a strong woman, a mother, and pardon my French but she's got her shit together."

Marilyn gave a little laugh at that before gently patting Sam on the back and turning her attention back to the cookies.

Sam watched as she quickly filled up the sheet and stuck it in the oven with the rest of the cookies that were already halfway done.

"I've been horrible to her this week. I should have been supportive but I just…I couldn't. Even though I knew she needed to hear that she was doing the right thing it felt like such a lie to tell her that so I didn't say anything at all." Marilyn shook her head side to side shamefully as she brushed a tear from her eye, "I failed her, yet again. When it comes to that man I always fail her."

"You know that's not true. Mercedes is the woman she is today because of you, not him. If you failed her she wouldn't be as strong and resilient as she is now. She got that from you, not from Richard."

Marilyn nodded her head at his words but she said nothing. However, her grip on the edge of the counter lessened and the tight lines around her mouth disappeared. She reached over and grabbed his hand and gave it a strong squeeze before letting it go.

They stood together for a few more moments in companionable silence before the timer went off on the oven signaling that the first batch of cookies were ready. Marilyn smoothly slid the finished batch on to the counter and reset the time for the second batch. Sam's mouth watered as he took in the delectable monster-sized chocolate chip cookies just inches away from his hands.

"Don't even thing about it, Sam," Marilyn said sternly even though she had a laughing glint in her eyes, "these cookies are for Mercedes. If she wants to share then you can have one."

Sam resisted the urge to pout as he stomach growled in response to the heavenly smell and it reminded him that he hadn't ate all day. He had been so worried about what was happening between Mercedes and her father he completely forgot to eat.

He shot one last longing glance at the cookies that had now been transferred to a cooling rack. He took a moment to calculate just how bad Marilyn would beat his ass if he snatched one of her cookies and he decided it wasn't worth the risk.

He made his way to kitchen and got out all the ingredients for a sandwich. He was almost halfway done assembling it when he heard the front door open. He tried to be somewhat cool but ended up failing miserably as he all but chunked the sandwich in the trash and made his way quickly to the living room with Marilyn hot on his heels.

When they made it to the living room Mercedes looked up from where she was hanging her keys and jacket and she gave them both a surprised look.

"Where did you two come from?" She asked with a slight laugh in her voice, "Did you run in here?"

"How was it?" Sam blurted out, "I mean…did everything go okay?"

"It was fine," Mercedes answered with a shrug, "it went pretty much how I imagined it would."

"Oooookay," Sam answered slowly, "and how was that exactly?"

"Well, he asked me for half a million dollars," She answered nonchalantly before sniffing the air and saying, "Mmmm…are those cookies I smell?" She asked as she breezed by the two of them and headed towards the kitchen.

Sam and Marilyn stared at each other in shock for a long minute before rushing after Mercedes.

"What do you mean he asked you for half a million dollars?" Marilyn practically screeched.

Mercedes stared back at her mother calmly and said, "I meant exactly that, Daddy Dearest has apparently racked up some gambling debt so he decided to come grovel to his Favorite Mistake."

"Mercedes…" her mother murmured sympathetically as she came forward to give her a hug. Mercedes took a step back out of her mother's reach and she shook her head slightly. Her eyes shone brightly with tears and Sam's heart clenched painfully as he watched the woman he love battle with the hurt inflicted on her by her father once again.

"I'm okay," she answered in a shaky voice, "I am okay."

Sam and Marilyn both watched as Mercedes stared at her trembling hands for a second before taking a deep breath and raising her eye back up to them.

"I am okay."

Marilyn moved forward cautiously and when Mercedes made no move to back away again she enveloped her daughter in a tight hug and gently rocked her back and forth.

Mercedes met Sam's eyes over her mother's shoulder and Sam watched as one lone tear tracked down Mercedes' cheek. As he watched the tear rolled down he felt himself getting angrier and angrier and by the time it slid off of Mercedes' face and fell to her mother's back he was seeing red.

"Where is he at now?" Sam snapped.

Mercedes pulled away from her mother and eyed her fiancé wearily, "Sam, it doesn't matter—"

"Where. Is. He?" He asked again through clenched teeth. "If you think I'm going to let that sorry son of a bitch come into our lives and try and extort money from you and not do anything about it then you don't know me very well."

"I handled it."

"How?"

"I gave him money."

"WHAT?"

Sam's loud shout was echoed by a horrified Marilyn as they both stared at Mercedes in shock and she stared back at them mutinously.

"Don't start."

"Don't start? DON'T START?" Sam yelled in frustration, "What were you thinking Mercedes? Giving that man a half a million dollars isn't—"

"Who said I gave him half a million? I said I gave him money and I did. I gave him exactly what I thought he deserved."

"And what was that baby?" Her mother asked worriedly.

"A thousand bucks, I told him he could put it on a down payment for a car or start a college fund. It seemed fitting." Mercedes voiced cracked slightly but her chin remained high and her composure wasn't broken.

Sam could see the effort it was taking her to keep it together and appear unaffected and he felt like the world's biggest jackass for blowing his lid about her giving Richard the money. The amount wasn't important, his money was her money and she could do with it what she wanted but it was the principle of the matter. She should have never been asked. That sorry piece of shit that pretended to be her father when it suited him should have never fixed his mouth to ask his daughter for 5 cents let alone 500,000 dollars. Once again Richard Green has swept into Mercedes life like a hurricane and just like a real life hurricane he left nothing but destruction and heartache in his wake.

The heated anger that had been flowing through Sam's nerves slowly dissipated into nothing as he looked at Mercedes and saw the sadness lurking in her deep brown eyes. She would be alright eventually he knew that but she was hurting right now and it made him hurt as well.

He took a step forward to bring her in his arms but it was clear that her mother had the same idea that he had. Marilyn tugged Mercedes back into her arms and Mercedes laid her head gratefully on her mother's shoulder. Sam watched the two of them hold each other tightly before deciding to let them have their time. He murmured to Mercedes that he was going upstairs to check on the baby and the slight nodding of her head was the only response she gave.

Sam left the kitchen and went up the stairs and made a beeline for Lilliana's room. He wanted to pick her up and hold her tiny little body close to his heart but he had just put her down a little while ago and he didn't want to interrupt her slumber because of his selfish needs.

He settled for rubbing his finger lightly down her cheek and touching the small curls at the base of her neck. He didn't know how long he stood there but it was long enough for him to zone out because the soft touch of a hand on the middle of his back shocked him to reality.

He whirled around to find Mercedes watching him with an unreadable expression on her face. She looked past him briefly and her entire expression softened as she looked at their baby.

"Are you mad at me?" She asked as she watched Lilliana sleep, "because I don't regret what I did. I needed to do it…for me."

"I'm not mad," He answered and her eyes snap back to meet his, "I was upset that your fathe— that man did something again that upset you. I swear that's all that motherfu—" Sam glanced at Lilliana's crib again before grabbing Mercedes by the hand and taking her to their room. He shoved the door close behind them and then turned to her and picked up where he left off.

"That motherfucker is only good for upsetting you. When has he every done anything besides screw with your head?"

"Nothing," Mercedes gave a short laugh but it was devoid of humor, "at least I can say that my Dad never changed, he was an asshole from beginning to end."

"I'm sorry," Sam said quietly, "If I could have protected you from this you know I would have."

"I know but it's not your job to protect me—not from my father at least. I knew what I was getting into when I decided to meet him so believe it or not I was prepared. It just stings a little, that's all."

Sam stared down at her sympathetically before grabbing her arms gently and bringing her to his chest. She wound her arms around his waist and held him tightly.

"He didn't even ask about the baby." She murmured after a long stretch of silence, "all of that talk about being so worried about me and the baby and he never so much asked if she was okay after her ordeal or even wanted to see a picture. He has a grandchild in the world and he has no idea what she looks like, he didn't even want to know."

Sam tightened his arms around her and dropped a kiss on her head.

"It's his loss, it's always been his loss. He had an amazing daughter that he missed out on knowing and now he's going to miss out on his granddaughter. His loss, not ours."

"Make that two."

"Two what?"

"Two daughters that he's missing out on knowing. Turns out my step-mother got tired of his bullshit, divorced him, remarried and took my little sister out of the country. He claims he has no idea where they are but I don't know if it's because Mia's mom won't tell him or because he simply doesn't care enough to find out."

"Mia?"

Mercedes smiled softly, "Yeah, that's my little sister's name. She's 11 now."

"Wow…" Sam responded quietly as a wave of sympathy came over him at the brief flash of sadness on Mercedes face at the mention of her sister.

"I wish I could have gotten to know or her or at the very least gotten to meet her properly but I guess this is for the best."

"Are you positive? I'm sure I could find them, I mean it make take some time—"

"No." Mercedes answered firmly, "Thank you, but no. My father never deemed it necessary to tell Mia or his wife about me so I'm nothing more than a stranger to them. Maybe if she were older it would be different but she's just a kid and she's already had so much of her life in upheaval because of him. I don't want to be that extra thing in her life that reminds her of what an asshole her father truly is."

"Mercedes…"

"No, its fine…really, it's fine. I would love to know her, I would love for Lilliana to know her but what I want and what's best for that little girl may not be the same thing. Maybe one day when she's older, way older, but not right now. Okay?"

"Okay," Sam answered even though he was still unconvinced it was the best thing, "whatever you want, baby."

"Thank you." She gave him a grateful smile before getting up on her tiptoes and giving him a warm kiss. Sam immediately pulled her tighter and deepened the kiss but just as the tip of their tongues touched he pulled away quickly.

"Where is your mom?"

"My mom? Why are you thinking about my mother while kissing me?"

"Because I'd like to do a little more than just kiss you but I'm not about to do that with your mother in the house."

"Awww, Sam, I can keep quiet if you can." She teased.

"No!" Sam practically yelled as he looked down at her in horror, "we can't do that with your mom across the hallway."

"Oh my God, you're serious," Mercedes said as she laughed loudly. "We've been living together for months and we have a kid—my mom knows we have sex."

"There is a difference between knowing something and actually being present while it occurs. How are you going to feel one day way, way, way, way, way, way in the future when Lily is an adult and we go to her home and visit and she decides she wants to have sex with her husband?"

"Duly noted," Mercedes answered as both she and Sam made faces and cringed at the thought of that happening one day.

"If it makes you feel any better," she continued on, "my mother isn't here. It appears that she's been having a secret relationshop around with some doctor she met while Lily was in the hospital and from the sounds of things it's getting pretty serious."

"Really? She hasn't said a word or even hinted at having a thing with someone."

"Believe me it was news to me too, she just told me downstairs. I guess I've been so wrapped up in everything that I didn't even notice that my mom was acting strange."

"Is everything okay between the two of you now? She was pretty upset about the whole Richard thing."

"Yeah, we talked. I'll admit I was hurt by her not supporting me more but at the same time I know where she's coming from. If it were Lily I would be the same way. Sometimes I get so wrapped up in how I felt personally about what my Dad did to me that I forget what he did to her as well. I'm just glad it's over and now we can all move on, I'm just done with being sad or mad or hurt by my father. I'm free of him once and for all—we all are."

Sam looked down at her and all he saw was honesty and happiness shining in her eyes. Mercedes had been through a lot but most importantly she had come through a lot and it showed. Years ago her father doing what he did to her tonight would have broken her but instead it was nothing more than just a passing hurt that she quickly brushed off.

"I'm proud of you. You're a strong, kick ass woman and I couldn't be happier to make you my wife."

"Is that right?"

"Mmm-hmmm" He murmured as he lowered his head to capture her lips in hers. He felt her smile against his lips before she returned his kiss. He tried to deepen again but she pulled away and gave him a look.

"We can't," she said apologetically.

"What do you mean? You said your mom is gone and Lily is sleeping so what's the problem?"

"It's only been 5 weeks since I had the baby."

"If this is about the extra baby weight you know I don't care about that at all. You're beautiful and I love you and I want you."

"I want you too but…"

"But what?"

"But the doctor said it would be best if we waited until our six weeks check-up to start having a sex again."

"Did she say that? I don't remember that."

"I figured you wouldn't" Mercedes answered dryly as she gave him a withering look. "It's not that I don't want you I just want to be careful."

"We're never going to have sex again, are we?" Sam asked as he sighed dramatically.

"Well…" Mercedes said seductively as she trailed her fingers down towards the zipper on his jeans, "the doctor said we shouldn't have sex, she never said we couldn't do other things."

"Other things?" Sam asked huskily as Mercedes slowly slid the zipper down.

"Mmmmm…other things."

Mercedes reached inside his jeans and slowly trailed the tip of her index finger over the growing bulge and Sam hissed out a breath in reaction. She was going to drive him crazy, he just knew it.

"Don't tease Mercedes," Sam begged through clenched teeth.

She took mercy on him and tugged the elastic down until he sprang free, thick and hard. Sam leaned his forehead against hers and breathed out a deep breath as he looked down between them and watched as Mercedes carefully grabbed his throbbing cock in her hand and slowly started to glide her hand up and down. He grabbed her head gently and brought her mouth up to his, when their lips were touching he brought his tongue out and ran it over her lower lip. She let out a breathy gasped and tightened her hand around his cock causing him to grunt in surprise. She murmured a quick apology against his lips before resuming her gentle yet firm ministrations.

Sam closed his eyes at the feel of her soft hand around him again in what felt like forever and he struggled to keep it together. He was so wrapped in the sensation of her warm hand that he didn't even notice that she had gotten down on her knees until the second the warm hand was gone and replaced with her cool, wet mouth. He jerked in surprise and looked down and the sight of her plump lips around him almost brought him to his knees. He slammed his eyes shut again and braced one hand on the door behind her and put the other on through the silky strands of her hair.

"Fuuuuuuucccckkkk," He groaned out as she licked the underside of his cock before sucking on the tip. She brought her hand up to gently tease his balls and he finally reached his breaking point. He released in her mouth and she took it all in before giving him one last lick on the head and releasing him with a soft pop. She rose with all he grace of a sleek feline and she gave him a look of self-satisfaction as she wiped the corners of her mouth.

"Holy shit that was amazing." He croaked out, "I think my legs are shaking right now."

Mercedes laughed huskily as she leaned forward to run her lips down the strong column of his neck. She sucked lightly on the skin underneath his jawline and he hissed out another breath. He could feel her smiling against his skin as she trailed soft kisses down his neck.

Once Sam finally got his bearings about him he backed away a bit until Mercedes stopped kissing his neck and looked up at him in confusion.

"My turn," he whispered softly as he brought her face back to his for a searing kiss. He grabbed her hands and walked backwards until he felt the bed hit the back of his knees and then he sat down on the bed abruptly. The quick change of pace had Mercedes swaying unsteadily but Sam quickly righted her by putting his hands on her hips. He slid his hands along her waist until he got to the buttons on the front of her jeans. He popped open the first button before leaning forward and placing a kiss on the little open 'v' that was created. He then undid the second button and gave the exposed skin a tiny bite before quickly lapping at the skin to soothe the tiny nip. Mercedes groaned loudly at the feel and it was now Sam's turn to smile against her skin as he drop tiny kisses of the expanse of smooth skin that he had uncovered.

He stood up and as he did so he dragged Mercedes' shirt off and seconds later he had whipped her bra off as well. She stared at him with an arched eyebrow and he gave her a tiny unapologetic shrug before spinning them around and all but dumping her in the bed.

She gave a little squeal as she bounced on the bed but it was short-lived because Sam was on her almost immediately. He licked her lips before plunging his tongue inside and she moaned loudly before kissing him back. For a few minutes the only sounds in the bedroom were the wet sucking noises coming from the mouth and tongues interspersed with moans and pants. Sam reached his hand between them and palmed one of her heavy breasts. He felt the nipple pebble in his hand and he moved down her body so that he could take it his mouth. He rolled his tongue around the nipple as he grabbed the other breast with his hand and he squeezed it gently. He looked up to see Mercedes' eyes clenched shut as she pulled and tugged at the pillow on either side of her head.

Once Sam had gotten his fill he then moved down her stomach and started placing kisses on it as he scooted down the bed until he was eye level with waistline of her jeans again. He yanked down the zipper before grabbing the sides of the jeans and the panties underneath and tugging them down. He stood up so that he could tug the bunched jeans and panties off of her legs and while he was up he discarded who own pants and underwear.

With no warning whatsoever Sam crawled back on the bed and dived immediately between Mercedes thighs. She let out a surprise squeak when he gave a pussy one long lick before sucking hard on her clit.

"Shit! Shit! Shit!" Sam could hear Mercedes shouting over and over again but the sound was muffled because her thighs had clamped around his head. He licked and sucked until he was nearly mindless with desire. He felt like he was hard as rock and he ground himself into the bed to feel some relief. He brought his left hand up to grab Mercedes breast again but he was shocked when she grabbed his hand and brought it to her mouth and stuck his index finger inside and started sucking. He damn near came off the bed and without thinking he climbed back up her body and was forcing his finger out of her mouth so he could replace it with his tongue. The two feverishly battled tongues as their hands frantically moved over each others bodies. Sam fit in the vee of Mercedes' thighs perfectly and before he knew it the head of his cock was lying precariously close to her entrance. Without thinking Sam started to slide up and down and up and down and up and down until finally Mercedes tore her mouth from his.

"Please Sam, please," she practically sobbed, "I need you inside me."

Whatever thin thread of control Sam had snapped like a rubber band and he slid inside Mercedes within an instant. They both groaned loudly and Sam had to bury his face in the pillow beside her head to regain his composure. He didn't realize how much he missed being with her until that moment. Being with her, being surrounded by her was unlike anything else he had ever experienced.

"Are you okay?" He finally murmured when he had regained some control. "I know we were supposed to wait…"

"Please move." Was all Mercedes said as she tightened her hands on his biceps.

Sam took that to mean she was okay so he slowly started to slide in and out of her. She was so wet that he was surprised he didn't slide right out of her but as he felt her muscles contract and pull around him he realized he wasn't going anywhere.

They kept up the languid movement for a few minutes until finally Mercedes squeezed his biceps again and begged him to go faster and harder. Sam was more than happy to oblige and he sat back on his knees and grabbed her hips and began a punishing, hard pace. Mercedes eyes fluttered close and she brought her hands up to grip her breasts. Sam had to close his own eyes because the sight of Mercedes' soft hand holding on to her bountiful tits as they bounced up and down was bringing Sam closer to his release faster than he wanted to get there.

The sound of the headboard pounding the wall was coupled with Sam's heavy pants and Mercedes' ongoing chorus of "Oh God". Sam's balls tightened and he knew he was close so he lay back on top of Mercedes and ground his pelvis into hers hard. Her eyes all but rolled back in her head and she let out a loud gasp when he reached between them and pinched her clit. Her back bowed as her climax hit and she screamed his name as wave after wave crashed over her. Sam could feel it as shuddered all the way through her to where they were joined and he pumped into her a few more times before the feeling of her contracting around him was too much for him to bear and with a hoarse shout he released into her.

Minutes or hours or days later Sam finally came to and he slid out of Mercedes and collapsed next to her on the bed. He almost felt like weeping at the feeling of not being wrapped up in her any longer but he comforted himself by gathering her in his arms and pulling her as close as humanely possible.

"I'm sorry," he murmured into the top of her head and he breathed in the scent of her.

"No, you're not," came her husky reply.

Mercedes looked up at him and her brown eyes were alight with laughter, "You are such a liar Sam Evans, I can't believe you just said that with a straight face."

"I am sorry," he defended himself stubbornly but he was laughing as well, "I really had the best intentions Mercedes."

"Mmmm-hmmm."

"Besides if I remember correctly you were the one begging me—OW!"

Sam grabbed his chest where he was sure a big red handprint would be showing up any second now from where Mercedes slapped the hell out of him.

"I do not beg, Sam" Mercedes said in a haughty tone, "if anything I was putting you out of your misery."

"Mmmm-hmmm…" It was his turn to say.

The two looked at each other and began laughing but after a few moments Sam sobered up and ran his hand up and down Mercedes arm.

"Are you sure you're okay? I know it's a little too late to worry about it now but if the doctor said to wait…I just want you to be okay."

"Baby, I'm fine." She reassured him, "Yes, the doctor told me to wait for 6 weeks but she also told met that I know my body and if I'm ready to do something and I feel up to it then I should go for it. I wanted you and I wanted this. Hell, I needed this and I don't regret it."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

They lay back on the pillows and they stared up the ceiling in companionable silence as they ran their hands languidly over each other's torsos. Sam couldn't remember the last time he was this relaxed and happy but he knew there was only one thing in the world that would make his life complete in that moment.

"Hey, babe…how about some chocolate chip cookies?"


	33. Hello, Mrs. Evans

"What do you think?"

The softly asked question broke Mercedes' concentration from the white dress hanging in front of the window and she glanced at herself in the mirror. Her normally straight black hair fell down her back in a mass of wavy curls. A section from each side of her head were pulled back and secured at the back of her head with a diamond clip.

"It's perfect Tina." She smiled widely in the mirror at her friend, "I love it, thank you so much!"

"I'm glad I could help, and thank you again for letting me be a part of your special day even though we haven't been close for very long."

"We may not have known each other long or that well but that is all going to change now that you, Mike and the kids relocated to New York, right?"

"Right?"

Days after Lilliana was born Mike and Tina flew to New York to come and see the baby. Mercedes was still in a daze over everything that had happened and terrified at the numerous complications plaguing her daughter. She needed support which she had in spades from Sam, her mother, and her friends but Tina offered her something as a new mother that none of them could give her. Tina didn't try to downplay her fears or search for a silver lining, she just listened to Mercedes spill her guts about all the fears she had and she simply nodded her head and said, "I know, believe me I know."

During the delivery of Tina and Mike's daughter, Aubrey, the baby's shoulder was stuck in the birth canal and her collarbone was subsequently broken during the delivery. The bone eventually healed and the baby suffered no nerve damage but it was a tough time for them all. Tina said she went over her head a million times a day all of the things she could have done differently to prevent her baby from having to go through what she went through. She told Mercedes that it was okay to be scared and to worry and there was no shame in feeling guilty. She also said though that it was important not to wallow because while you could 'what if' all day long it would never change the current predicament and therefore it was nothing more than a waste of energy.

Tina and Mike and their children stayed a week and in that time Tina and Mercedes became fast friends. In the meantime Mike and Sam were talking business and once Sam found out that Mike and Tina were interested in relocating he was chomping at the bit to get Mike on at Evans advertising. It took months and months of negotiating, begging, pleading and a little bribing but a little over a month ago Mike agreed to be the Chief Financial Officer for the company. They bought a townhouse not too far from where Sam and Mercedes lived and the two couples have been practically inseparable since. Their son Drake had taken to calling Mercedes and Sam, Aunt Cedes and Uncle Sammy and Aubrey just adored Lilliana.

Mercedes hugged Tina to her one more time and when she pulled away she could see the woman furiously blinking back tears.

"Stop it right now, Tina! If you start then I'm going to start and if I mess up Santana's make-up job there will be hell to pay."

"You damn right," Santana announced haughtily as she sauntered into the room with a garment bag flung over her arm. "That brief stint working the make-up counter at Sephora years ago has come in handy. Although, I'm curious to how it is you got the pixie to allow you to use your friends to do your hair and make-up instead of highly trained professionals?"

"Ugh, don't even get me started on that…"

4 MONTHS AGO

"So what about the Plaza?" Kurt asked hopefully as he thumbed through wedding magazines.

"The Plaza? In June? With only four months notice? It's never going to happen." Mercedes answered matter-of-factly. "Besides I already told you I don't want some huge lavish wedding."

Kurt made a huffing noise under his breath and continued flipping through the ridiculously thick magazine. Mercedes rolled her eyes at her friend before turning her gaze down at her two month old daughter who was lazily blinking her hazel eyes as she fought sleep.

"What about here? It's a nice big place, and we could do something on the rooftop."

"I'm going to pretend you didn't just say that," Kurt said in a mildly disgusted tone, "your house is nice and all but it isn't the right type of venue for an event like this."

"And what, pray tell, is the right type of venue for an 'event' like this?"

"The Plaza or the Peninsula, the Four Seasons, Gramercy Park…" Kurt answered, "You're marrying a multi-millionaire Mercedes, not some guy slinging office supplies at Office Depot and your wedding must reflect that."

"But it's not what I want. I want to be somewhere I'm comfortable with people that I love, that's all."

"That's a sweet idea, really it is." He responded sarcastically, "but what about Sam?"

"What about him?"

"Does he want small and comfortable with five people there? Or does he want a big wedding where he can invite the numerous important people in his life?"

"I'm sure he doesn't care—"

"Do you know that for a fact?"

"Well, no, we haven't really talked about it—"

"In that case I think we should find out now….SAM!" Kurt yelled loudly as he got up from his loveseat and walked towards the general direction of Sam's office.

"Kurt!" Mercedes hissed loudly as Lilliana jerked in her arms at the loud noise and her tiny face scrunched up in preparation to start wailing.

"Sorry," Kurt looked back at the two of them sheepishly and gave a half-hearted 'shhhhh' in Lilliana's direction once her loud cried filled the air.

Mercedes glared at Kurt as she brought Lily up to her shoulder and started patting her back soothingly. Seconds later Sam came out of his office with a concerned look on his face and made a beeline for Mercedes and Lily.

"Is everything okay?"

"It's fine," Mercedes answered as she continued shooting Kurt the evil eye, "Kurt just thought it was necessary to yell at the top of his lungs with a sleeping baby in the room."

Sam brought his large hand up and Mercedes moved hers aside so that he could rub circles on the baby's back.

"What's so important you felt the need to wake my daughter up?" Sam asked once Lily had calmed down and drifted back to sleep.

"A question. What do you feel about the Plaza?"

Mercedes rolled her eyes again as Sam looked at Kurt in confusion, "That was what was so important?"

"Not exactly…just what are your thoughts on the Plaza?"

"Nice place. Expensive but it's worth it."

"So what do you think about getting married there?"

Sam looked down at Mercedes who was still glaring daggers at her best friend, "Is that where you want to get married? I'm sure I can make a few calls and get a date booked."

'I do NOT want to get married at the Plaza. In fact, more than anything I would prefer something small and intimate…maybe even here."

Sam's face pulled into a slight grimace but he quickly recovered and gave her a smile, "whatever you want baby."

"Un-uh, I saw that face. Be honest, do you want to get married at the Plaza?"

"Hell no, but…"

"But you don't want to get married here either."

"Not really. It's not big enough and frankly I don't want a bunch of people I don't know that well traipsing through our house."

"You don't know so well? Who do you plan on inviting?"

"I do have some family, although it's all extended. I have a few college friends that I've kept in touch with, some business contacts, etc."

"And what exactly does that add up to?"

"Well, at my…thing with Quinn we had 150 guests and about 75% of those were people that I invited."

Mercedes looked up at Sam in disbelief and shook her head from side to side.

"With all of my family, extended and beyond, and every friend I've ever had since grade school I might could get 40 people…maybe. But they would be people that I didn't know that well and haven't spoken to in years. I don't want that for our day."

"I want you to be happy Mercy so whatever you want we'll do. If you want to get married here with five people then I will be here with bells and whistles on."

"Um no," Kurt interrupted, "That's just…no. How about a compromise?"

"We're listening."

"How about you do a small wedding somewhere that is not this house with just close friends and family and then have a lavish reception at the Plaz—wherever you two choose."

"That's almost a halfway decent idea," Sam said jokingly before looking back down at Mercedes, "what do you think, babe?"

"I'm in."

"Me too."

The two shared a kiss but were quickly brought apart by the loud, exasperated groaning noises coming from Kurt.

"I hate to interrupt the love fest but we have to get started now if we're going to have a halfway decent wedding and reception."

"We?" Mercedes asked.

"Yes, we. You, the bride, Sam, the groom, and me, the wedding planner."

"You're the wedding planner? I don't remember hiring you," She taunted, "Maybe since we're having a lavish ceremony I should find a professional to plan our big day."

"I am a professional." Kurt answered in a deadly serious voice that had both Sam and Mercedes laughing, "I promise you will find no one better."

"Mmmm-hmmm. And what exactly are we supposed to be paying you for this service, Mr. Professional?"

Kurt gasped dramatically, "I am offended that you would think I would charge the two of you to help plan your special day."

"Kurt." Mercedes said in a stern voice that clearly said she wasn't buying it, "what do you want?"

"You're my best friend and I've dreamed of planning your wedding for years—"

"What. Do. You. Want?"

After a short pause Kurt answered, "An unlimted budget. A dress imported from Paris, flowers flown in from all over the world and the best hair and make-up team money can buy.:

"Fine—" Sam started but he was interrupted by the vehement shaking of Mercedes head.

"A LIMITED but substantial budget. I'll look in my dress in New York first and if I don't find something I like then I will broaden my search. There are plenty of great flower shops all over New York that have gorgeous flowers that we can use and I have friends who can do my hair and make-up."

"Mercedes…" Kurt whined.

"That's my bottom line, Kurt. I might change my mind about a few things but I won't budge on most. Deal?"

"Deal." He answered petulantly, "I still think the dress should come from Paris though."

"We'll see," she allowed, "but for now we're starting in NYC. Got it?"

"Yeah, I got it." With a loud huff Kurt sat back unnecessarily hard in his love seat and picked up the bridal magazine again and starting viciously thumbing through it again.

Sam and Mercedes watched Kurt's over the top hissy fit in amused silence before finally Sam whipped out his cell phone and pushed a speed dial button.

"Mrs. Halbright? Hi, I need you to do me a huge favor. Could you get in touch with American Express and add a cardholder to my black card account? The name is Kurt Hummel."

PRESENT DAY

So wait…Sam gave Kurt full access to the black card?" Santana screeched out in disbelief. "How in the hell do you even afford this wedding, shouldn't you be up to your necks in credit card debt by now?"

"To be fair Kurt wasn't that bad. I relented on the dress because he found one in Paris that I just couldn't live without and it fits like a dream. But of course, its price tag is like something out of a nightmare, I literally got weak in the knees when I saw how much it cost. Aside from that, this hair clip and my shoes everything else was pretty reasonable. Actually…I take that back, the hotel for the reception was ridiculously priced too but I guess it's to be expected on such short notice."

"What's the hotel called again?" Tina asked.

"The Mandarian Oriental. Me, Sam, Kurt, and Blaine went and checked it out one day and it's gorgeous, I almost wish I let Kurt talk me into getting married there."

"This place is really nice too," Santana said begrudgingly as she looked around the room, "whose house is this again?"

"An old friend of Sam's parents. He used to come out here every summer with his kids but they've all moved overseas with their own families and his health is declining so he doesn't come out here much anymore. Sam thinks he's planning on selling and if so we might be buying it."

The beautiful six bedroom summer home in Southampton was a sight to behold. Mercedes fell in love with the house the second she stepped foot in it. The rooms were spacious and beautifully decorated; the kitchen was any chef's dream, and the backyard and pool were massive. Visions of Lilliana and her future siblings running through that yard ran through Mercedes head before she could stop them. She normally shied away from the thought of spending copious amounts of Sam's—their money but for this house a big price tag wasn't much of a deterrent.

"Well before the old guy croaks you guys should definitely get this place."

"Santana!" Mercedes hissed in an admonishing tone, "I said his health was declining I didn't say he was on his death bed."

"Tomato, to-mah-to," Santana shrugged unapologetically, "you both know you were thinking the same thing. Right, Tina?"

Tina's skin turned a deep pink and she lowered her eyes.

"See?" Santana laughed.

'You are too damn much, Tana."

"I try and I succeed every time." She answered with a wink.

Mercedes shook her head at her friend's antics and looked at the digital clock sitting on the bedside table and a bubble of panic rose in her chest.

"We only have an hour left, where is Emma, Kurt and my mother?"

"Kurt is running around here squawking orders at everybody. Emma had to go help Will get Liam ready because clearly he is useless. And your mother and her hubby the good doctor are with Lily and Tina's kids." Santana answered calmly.

"Speaking of my little rugrats I should probably go get them now that I'm done with your hair." Tina said as she cleared up the hair products that she used and tossed them into a zebra print duffle bag. "I'm sure Aubrey wasn't too much trouble but Drake is a handful and I don't want him running your mother and step-father ragged before the wedding."

Mercedes smiled at her friend as the word step-father echoed through her head…

THREE MONTHS AGO

"Mama, are you sure about this?"

"For the hundredth time Mercedes, yes, I'm 100% sure."

"Good," Mercedes choked out as she zipped up the back of her Marilyn's dress. She smoothed her hands over her mother's shoulders to smooth away the wrinkles but she pulled her hands back when she realized they were trembling.

Marilyn turned to face Mercedes with a smile on her face but the smile quickly faltered when she saw the expression on her daughter's face.

"What's the matter sweetheart? Is this about Kenneth? I thought you liked him."

"I do." Mercedes answered honestly, "He's a really great man and I'm glad you found him but…it's been like a month Mama, are you really sure about marrying him?"

"It's been three and yes, I'm sure. I know what I'm doing and I know what I want."

Mercedes heard the steel in her mother's voice and she had no doubt in her mind that Marilyn Jones soon-to-be Larimore knew exactly what she wanted.

"What is this really about?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean if you don't have a problem with Kenneth then what is this really about?"

"I don't know what you mean Mama."

"Either you're acting strange because you're lying about liking Kenneth or because you're freaked out about your own wedding and you're projecting it onto me. Which one is it?"

"Neither!" Mercedes answered defensively.

"Liar." Her mother said simply as she turned back towards the mirror and straightened the bodice of her dress.

"Marriage is forever, Mama." Mercedes finally said after a long stretch of silence, "How do you know that you want that with a man you've only known a few months?"

"How long have you known Sam again?"

"That's different Sam and I have known each other for over a year."

"And how much of that have you actually been together?"

"We—"

"And how long were you messing around before you got pregnant?"

"Mama!"

"What? Am I lying? Don't act as if you two have had this long lasting relationship because you haven't."

"I know that but we weren't getting married after only knowing each other for a few months! Kenneth proposed to you after like a week, which by the way I didn't find out about until almost a month later!"

"Are you still mad about that? I've explained to you over and over again why we chose to keep our relationship private. You had enough on your plate with Lily being in the hospital and then your father showing up out of the blue, I didn't want to add more to it."

Marilyn met Kenneth in the hospital the day after Lily was born and according to them both it was love at first sight. Kenneth Larimore was a 52-year-old orthopedic surgeon that happened to be in the maternity ward, a place he hardly ever visited, at the same time Marilyn was there. She was visibly upset after visiting Lily and she was outside in the hallway trying to relay information about Mercedes and the baby's condition to family members in a loud and busy hallway. Kenneth came up to her, grabbed her hand and led her to a quiet room so that she could make her calls in peace. Marilyn was so shocked she didn't even get a chance to introduce herself before he walked away and left her alone. Days later she came across him again in the cafeteria and she went up to him and initiated an introduction and thanked him for helping her find a moment's peace and quiet. He bought her lunch that day and they instantly fell into an easy conversation. Kenneth was a widower that lost his wife over 15 years before to breast cancer and he had two children: a 27-year-old son named Clark and a 25-year-old daughter named Angela.

Kenneth had never dated after his wife's death or even been so much as attracted to another woman—until Marilyn. He told her that he had first seen her when she got on the elevator to go to the maternity ward. He wanted to talk to her then but the elevator was full of people and he could tell she looked upset so he told himself to let it go. The next day an opportunity to go to the maternity ward arose and instead of sending an aide to take care of it like he normally would he did it himself. Luckily for him his timing was perfect and he was on the floor at the same time Marilyn came out of the NICU. He could tell she was bothered by all the hustle and bustle around her so he led her to a small waiting area that was hardly ever used. He left her alone to make her calls but according to him the small smile of gratitude she gave him brightened his whole day. It was three more days before he saw her again and when she came up to him in the cafeteria and introduced herself he was shocked. To hear him tell it he fell in love with Marilyn over that lunch and by the end of it he knew he wanted to marry her. They exchanged numbers that day and had practically been inseparable since.

Mercedes didn't meet Kenneth until two days after the dinner with her father and she could admit that she was less than receptive to a new man in her mother's life because she was still smarting from her altercation with the last man that had been in her mother's life. After an initial chilly reception to Kenneth Sam pulled her aside and asked her what her problem was. She tried to play it off but he saw right through her and let her know, kindly but firmly, that Kenneth was nothing like Richard and he deserved a chance. Mercedes felt an inch tall after her talk with Sam and after going back in the living room and seeing Marilyn's hurt expression she felt even smaller. She immediately went to Kenneth and apologized for the way she had been acting and he graciously accepted and re-introduced himself so that they could start over. From then on it had been smooth sailing and the following week when they all had Sunday dinner together at Kenneth's house he and Marilyn announced that they were engaged to be married and they wanted to do so as soon as possible. Shocked wasn't a strong enough word to describe what Mercedes felt at the news but she bit back her concerns and put on a wide smile for her mother's benefit.

Now, it was now or never and even though her timing sucked and she knew it Mercedes felt that she had to bring it up just one last time before her mother took the plunge.

"I want you to be happy, Mama."

"I am Mercedes…come here." Marilyn took Mercedes' and led her toward the edge of the bed and they both sat down.

"After dealing with your father for years I'll be the first to admit that a man was not high on my list priorities. He hurt me time and time again until it got to the point that they only way I knew how to protect myself was to avoid love altogether. I had you and I convinced myself that was all I would ever need."

"Mama…" Mercedes said sadly before she was cut off by her mother's brusque tone.

"Nope, none of that. I am not sad that I focused on my child because that is what I should have been doing. The only regret I have is that in the few moments of weakness that I had I fell for Richard's bullshit. You live and you learn and I had to do it the hard way when it came to love. I had gotten to the point where I wasn't looking for it or expecting it but it found me anyway."

"Yeah, I know what's like," Mercedes answered softly with a smile as she twirled her engagement ring on her finger.

"It's scary, falling so hard and so fast for someone you just met. It's confusing and it feels wrong because you think it can't be real or viable if it happens that quickly. You question everything, you throw up walls that don't need to be there, you self-sabotage…" She said as she looked pointedly at Mercedes.

"We're more alike than I think either one of us would like to admit. I had my doubts about Kenneth and all those concerns you brought up today, trust me, I've gone over them about a million times in my head."

"What makes you so sure then?"

"You and Sam. I watch the two of you all the time. I know the hell the two of you've been through but even still you made it. You two may have stumbled but you never fell apart and even though you were twisted and bent to the point of no return you never broke. Two people who weren't meant to be together wouldn't have been able to get through half of the stuff the two of you did."

Tears sprung to Mercedes eyes and she blinked them back before leaning forward to hug her mother.

"I love you Mama…so much," Mercedes choked out, "and as long as you're happy, I'm happy. You deserve the absolute best and I think you found it. Kenneth is an amazing guy and I'm so happy you two have each other."

"Do you mean it? Really?"

"Yes, absolutely."

"That means more to me than you know, Mercedes."

The two women hugged again until a timid knock on the door interrupted them. Kenneth's daughter Angela poked her head in the door and asked the two of them were they ready.

Mercedes looked at her mom expectedly and Marilyn smiled widely at her at grabbed her hand and said, "Let's go get me married."

PRESENT DAY

"What are you thinking about?"

Mercedes was brought out of her mental stroll down memory lane to see her mother gazing down at her questioningly.

"I was thinking about your wedding day."

"It was pretty amazing wasn't it?" Marilyn asked smugly which caused Mercedes to laugh but she sobered slightly when she looked at the clock and saw that she had less than 45 minutes left to get dressed.

"We're running out of time! I still have to get my dress and veil and shoes on, I need to make sure Lily is taken care of…is the preacher here yet? Oh my God…where is Kurt?"

"Calm down sweetheart, everything is right on schedule. The preacher got here about 20 minutes ago, Lily is fine she's with Sam now, and Kurt, Emma, Santana and Tina are all outside the door waiting."

"Why?"

"Because I asked them to, I wanted a moment with you alone."

"Oh, okay." Mercedes said as she took a deep breath to calm her frazzled nerves.

"I just want to let you know how proud of you I am. You've been through a lot but you always come out stronger on the other side. You are an amazing mother and that little girl is so lucky to have you as is Sam. You are by far the best thing I have ever done. You were the best choice I've ever made and you will always have the biggest piece of my heart. I love you Mercedes."

"I love you too, Mama." She choked out as she valiantly fought the tears threatening to spill down her cheeks. The two women held each other tightly as they swayed back and forth for a long minute.

Marilyn pulled away first and she took a hanky from her small purse and dabbed gently at the corner of Mercedes' eyes.

"We better stop before Santana kills us both," Marilyn laughed thickly as she dabbed her own eyes.

"Before I let them all in I just wanted to give you your something old." Her mother smoothed out the lacy, slightly yellowed handkerchief and handed it to Mercedes.

"This was my Mother's. Her mother had embroidered it for her for her wedding day. It was passed down to me and now I'm passing it to you and I hope one day you'll pass it on to Lily."

"I will."

Mercedes studied the fabric for a second and noticed that the edge on one side was slightly frayed.

"Has this been cut?"

"Yes it has." Marilyn moved over to where Mercedes' dress was hanging in the window and she reached up and pulled the dress down. She folded the long train over her arm and walked back towards her daughter. Once she was in front of her she folded down the bodice of the dress so that Mercedes could see about a 3 inch lacy cutout heart sewn into the fabric of her dress. In the middle of the heart was another smaller heart in blue fabric. Mercedes ran her finger over the addition to her dress and she looked at her mother in confusion.

"Obviously the bigger heart is from the handkerchief but the smaller blue heart is from Sam's shirt. Kurt and I told him what were doing with the handkerchief and he asked if he could be a part of it. The blue fabric comes from one of his dress shirts. He said it was the one he was wearing the first day you two met, so there's your something old and something blue."

"Wow…" Mercedes said shakily as felt tears welling up yet again and she fanned her face to try and prevent them from falling.

"This is so perfect," She finally managed to choke out once the threat of tears finally subsided, "thank you so, so, much Mama."

"It's my pleasure, baby."

Marilyn hung the dress back by the window and she gave her daughter a fierce hug and a kiss on the cheek before pulling away and saying,

"You ready to let the hounds in?"

TWO MONTHS AGO

"Excuse me? EXCUSE ME?!"

"Kurt seriously? You're just screeching now."

"What do you expect me to do? My best friend just told me that she didn't want me to be a part of her wedding."

"That is not what I said and you know it!"

"Well, excuse me for misunderstanding since last I checked I wasn't in the bridal party or the groom's party!"

"If you would let me finish—"

"May I remind you that with the exception of your Mother I have known you longer AND better than anybody else in this wedding party?"

"Kurt—"

"Do I have to remind you that I have been busting my ass for the past two months planning this wedding?"

"No, but—"

"Do I have to remind you that I have gone through more drama with the two of you than ANYBODY else here?"

"Oh for the love of God—"

"DO I?"

Kurt's normally fair skin was now a very blotchy and very unattractive red as his chest heaved impressively at his effort. After five minutes of yelling Mercedes hoped that her friend had gotten it all out of his system and was now ready to hear her explanation.

"Are you done?"

"Maybe." Kurt answered petulantly as he folded his arm and made a big production of falling into his seat.

"If you would have let me finished I would have explained to you how you fit into my wedding. Are you ready to listen or do you want to yell some more?"

"I'm listening."

"Good. Despite what you think I am well aware of how important you are in my life and your place in my wedding reflects that."

"Really? What is more important than being your man of honor? Standing by your side when you marry the love of your life? What has Emma done for you that makes her more suitable for the job than me?"

"One, Emma is my friend. Two, she is the reason Sam and I met in the first place. And three, if it weren't for her Sam wouldn't have found me when he did and who knows where we'd be today."

"So that supersedes everything I've ever done with you? A couple of years of friendship with her means more to you than a lifetime of friendship with me?"

"Don't do that Kurt, you know good and damn well that isn't what I meant!" Mercedes said in a low voice as she tried to control her anger. This was supposed to be a great moment between them as friends but Kurt was ruining it.

"Fine, then what? What do you mean? What role is so important that I should happy that you're sticking me there rather than at your side?"

"I want you to give me away."

It got so quiet in the room Mercedes wouldn't be surprised if she could here a pin drop in the next room. She waited patiently while Kurt stared at her in shock with his mouth wide open.

Finally after what seemed like an eternity Kurt finally spoke.

"You want me to give you away? As in walk you down the aisle and give you away?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Why? What do you mean why? Lifetime of friendship remember? Aside from Sam you are the most important man in my life and you have been for years. Standing beside me and holding my flowers and handing me a ring are all important jobs and they mean a lot but they are nothing compared to walking down the aisle with me…at least that's what I thought."

Kurt's already red face turned impossibly redder as tears start trekking quickly down his face. At the sight Mercedes' own eyes filled with tears to the point that she couldn't even see Kurt's face anymore. Seconds later Mercedes felt Kurt's slight frame practically slam into hers and he wrapped his arms tightly around her.

"I'm so sorry I'm an asshole."

"Don't worry, I'm used to it," Mercedes joked, "you wouldn't be you if you handled things in a calm and rational manner."

"Ha, ha." Kurt answered as they sat down and cuddled into each other on the couch.

They sat holding each other in a comfortable silence for a few moments before Mercedes finally said, "Sooooo, are you going to answer me or what?"

"Miss Jones, it would be my honor to give you away."

PRESENT DAY

"Awwwwwww…"

The exaggerated 'oohs' and 'awws' had been going on for about five minutes but Mercedes hardly noticed because she was so overwhelmed in the moment.

She stared at herself in the mirror and she hardly recognized the woman staring back at her. Her wedding dress fit her like a glove. She had searched high and low in New York with Kurt and Emma looking for the perfect dress but she never found one that she truly loved. It wasn't until she, Kurt and Emma took a quick weekend trip to Paris that she found what she was looking for. Simply put, the dress was breathtaking. The sweetheart neckline showed off her décolletage and the ruffled organza fit her body like a glove. A wide satin belt across her midsection was held in place by a diamond brooch that matched the clip in her hair and a swath of ruffles flowed from her knees in the mermaid cut dress.

Mercedes turned slightly from side to side and the ruffles swished quietly in response. She did a quick inventory of everything and was happy to find that her makeup was flawless, there wasn't a hair out of place and all of her jewelry was accounted for. She motioned for Kurt to lift her dress and she checked to make sure her new garter was still in place. It was a gift from Kurt, Tina, and Santana and it was her something new. It was a little frilly and a lot racy and it had a small little diamond encrusted 'S' charm hanging from it that she knew Sam would love when he saw it. Before she the dress dropped she took one second to admire her dark purple Louboutins that completed the look.

"So," She asked as she turned to face her wedding party, "what do you think?"

Everybody was speaking at once but she was able to catch, 'stunning', 'beautiful,' 'amazing', and 'Sam won't believe his eyes.'

"Thank you all," She said graciously as she looked at some of the most important people in her lives, "I don't want to cry—again, but I do want to tell all of you how much you mean to me. You've all played some part in me being here today and I will be forever thankful. I love you all."

The chorus of 'awws' started up again and everybody rushed forward to give her hugs and kisses that she happily returned.

Suddenly all sorts of alarms and songs started going off and Mercedes looked around in amused silence as everybody rushed to their phones to stop their alarms from going off. She glanced at the clock on the bedside table and it read 5:00 and instead of panic rising inside of her like she always expected a blissful calm fell over her instead.

Kurt rushed around the room handing everyone their bouquets and doing a quick check of hair and make-up. The matron of honor, Emma, and the two bridesmaids, Santana and Tina were all in varying shades of purple. Marilyn was in a light lilac dress and even little Lily got into the action with an adorable fuchsia dress. Angela, Mercedes' new step-sister was an accomplished photographer so she walked around the room snapping pictures at a neck breaking speed as the women and Kurt prepared themselves to head towards where the ceremony was going to be held.

Sam and Mercedes both wanted the wedding to be outside and luckily for them the weather was cooperating. The beginnings of Summer could be felt but it was still enough Spring left in the air to make it comfortable. The wedding party made their way to the French doors and Angela moved around in a flurry getting pictures of them. When she felt she got enough of that particular moment she nodded towards Kurt and he lined them all up. He stepped outside and gave a signal and within seconds a string quartet started up.

Outside a white runner led the way to the altar and it was already covered by a blanket of purple rose petals. On either side were five rows of chairs that were sectioned off by white tulle and purple ribbon and large balls of purple roses were pinned to the end of every other row of chairs.

At the end of the runner stood a tiny gazebo that Mercedes had fallen in love with the first time they had come to view the property. It wasn't big enough for more than four or five people to stand in at one time but Mercedes thought it would be perfect for the wedding. It had been a little worn down looking since some of the paint was peeling but one weekend Sam, Mike, Blaine, Clark, Kenneth and even Kurt came out and slapped on a fresh coat of paint and made a few more repairs to it so now it looked brand new. Currently it was artfully wrapped in an explosion of purple flowers with a string of twinkling lights intertwined throughout. The result was breathtaking and even more beautiful than Mercedes every imagined.

As the women prepared to make their walk down the aisle Mercedes went to her mother who was in front and gave her another quick hug and a kiss on the cheek. Marilyn was making her walk down the aisle with Lilliana in her arms and she was holding tight to her granddaughter as she looked around at all the movement curiously.

"I'm so, so happy for you darling." Her mother whispered, "Words can't express how much seeing you happy means to me."

Mercedes' throat tightened at her mother's words and she gave her another fierce hug and whispering 'I love you' in her ear. She then turned her attention to her baby girl and she gently tugged her little face to hers so that she could drop a kiss on her forehead. Lily's face scrunched up comically before she let out a little giggle that had everyone laughing.

Kurt gently tugged Mercedes away and she moved back so that her mother could make her way down the aisle. Marilyn stepped out of the French doors but she turned back one last time and said, "Goodbye Mercedes Jones," and blew her daughter a kiss before making her way down the aisle.

"Well, shit." Santana choked out before she reached down in her bodice and produced a handkerchief. "I swore to myself I wasn't going to cry at this damn wedding."

Everybody laughed and it eased some of the 'burst into tears' tension that was hanging heavily in the room after Marilyn and Mercedes' emotional good-bye.

Kurt cleared his throat loudly and everybody quickly shuffled back into position. Once Marilyn reached her seat Tina followed, then Santana and lastly Emma. As Kurt and Mercedes stood at they grabbed hands and linked their fingers tightly.

"Are you sure about this?" Kurt whispered, "We still have time for you to hightail it out of here."

Mercedes laughed lightly and brought Kurt's hand up to her lips and kissed it softly.

"Thanks but no thanks, I'm exactly where I want to be."

ONE MONTH AGO

"This little piggy went to the market…this little piggy stayed home…this little piggy had roast beef…this little piggy had none…and this little piggy went "wee, wee, wee" all the way home."

"Wha—" Mercedes murmured sleepily as she heard Sam's voice start in on the nursery rhyme again. Her head popped up from her pillow when she heard tiny little gurgling noises coming from the pillow beside her. She turned over to find her daughter watching her father with rapt attention as he kissed her tiny foot and tweaked her even tinier toes.

"Well look who finally woke up!" Sam exclaimed happily as he leaned over to give her a wet smacking kiss on her cheek, "I was running out of nursery rhymes and Lily does not like it when I repeat."

"Is that right?" Mercedes asked in a husky, sleep-heavy voice as she snuggled into Lily. "Nothing wrong with wanting to be properly entertained, our baby has good taste."

"Hmph," Sam grunted as he laid down on the other side of Lily.

"How long has she been awake?"

"About an hour or so."

"You should have woken me I could have gotten her."

"No, it was fine. I know your body clock is still all messed up from that trip to Paris so I was letting you rest."

"That was really sweet of you…thank you babe."

"My pleasure, besides it gave me a reason to hang with my girl."

Lily kicked hard at that moment and blew a big raspberry which caused her parents to laugh heartily at her quest for attention.

Mercedes twirled one of her light brown curls as she studied her daughter's delicate features. At a little over five months old Lilliana was already showing signs that she was going to be a strikingly beautiful girl, much to Sam's chagrin. A halo of silky brown curly framed a heart shaped face. Her tiny upturned nose was a mirror image of her mother's and her hazel eyes were a mix of both parents even though her eye-shape resembled Mercedes'. The lips were all Sam and Mercedes teased him mercilessly about how his lips genes came along and kicked her lips genes ass and took over.

"So how was Paris?"

"It was great, I found my dress."

"Yeah…do you love it?"

"It's perfect."

"Kurt-approved?"

"Of course, it would be still sitting in the boutique in Paris if it wasn't."

"Can you believe we only have a month left?" Sam asked as he played with Lily's fingers, "Sometimes it feels like we've only just met but then sometimes it feels as if we've known each other forever. It's weird."

"Me and Mama were talking about that on her wedding day. I don't know why but I had this moment where I freaked out about her marrying Kenneth so soon and she made the excellent point that we haven't exactly been in each other's lives for that long either. I don't know, I guess given all we've been through I forget that we've only known each other for about a year."

"It was a hell of an eventful year." Sam laughed, "we went through more in one year than most people go through in a lifetime."

"Hopefully we met our quota and we can have nice and boring from now on."

"I hope so."

The two lay together watching as Lilliana rocked back and forth trying to roll over. They laughed at their daughter's desperate attempts to roll over onto her stomach. Finally Sam took pity on her and helped her over on to her stomach. Lily squealed happily once she was over as Sam and Mercedes clapped excitedly for her.

The excitement proved to be too much for Lily and within a few minutes she was snoozing on the bed between them.

"I want another one." Sam said quietly after a few minutes of watching her sleep.

"Another baby?" Mercedes asked even though she knew the answer.

"Yeah…don't you? I know Lily's birth was terrifying and everything that came after wasn't a walk in the park either but when I see her now, like this, I can barely remember it. I know that's easy for me to say since I was on the outside—"

"No, I get it. I feel the same way, I just thought after you reacted when Lily was born you wouldn't want to risk having another baby."

"I'll admit I wasn't proud of how I handled things after the birth. I freaked out, there is no getting around that. I was convinced that I was losing everything, that I was losing you and I just could not deal. If I had lost you I don't know what I would've done."

A haunted look came over Sam's face and Mercedes reached over and tugged him towards her for a kiss. The shared a few soft, languid kisses before Sam pulled away.

"Um…we got to stop before I get carried away." He said looking pointedly down at their sleeping child. "Maybe I should go put her back in her crib."

"Maybe…but not right now." Mercedes said as she stroked Lily's back. "We should savor this for as long as we can, she's growing like a weed already. Before long she'll be too big to do this with us. I can't wait to see the little person she is going to grow into but at the same time I'm going to miss my sweet little cuddly baby."

"I know what you mean, the idea of her as a teenager scares the living shit out of me. If she is half as beautiful as you are which unfortunately I think she will be—"

"Unfortunately?" Mercedes interrupted him with a laugh.

"There are going to be enough boys sniffing around to drive me insane."

"If Lily is anything like me then you won't have to worry about a bunch of boys. In high school I couldn't get a boy to look at me twice much less chase me."

"Then they were fools." He said matter-of-factly. "You drove me crazy from the minute I laid eyes on you."

"Well that's because we're meant to be."

"Yeah…we're meant to be."

PRESENT DAY

If anybody asked Mercedes what she felt when she walked down the aisle the answer would be simple: blissful.

The actual walk down the aisle itself was a complete blur because all Mercedes could see was Sam. He stood on the gazebo steps and he watched her walk towards him with a wide smile on his face. The black Armani suit he wore looked as if were made for his body and his body alone and he had never looked more gorgeous.

After what seemed like an eternity Mercedes was finally by Sam's side. His smile softened a little bit and he gave her a wink that calmed the butterflies wrecking havoc in her tummy. She felt Kurt squeeze her hand so she forced her eyes away from Sam's and focused them on the preacher.

"Dearly Beloved," He began in a deep and heavy voice, "We are gathered here, in the presence of God and of this company, that Sam Evans and Mercedes Jones may be united in holy matrimony. We are here to celebrate and share in the glorious act that God is about to perform - the act by which He converts their love for one another into the holy and sacred estate of marriage.

This relationship is an honorable and sacred one, established by our Creator for the welfare and happiness of mankind, and approved by the Apostle Paul as honorable among all men. It is designed to unite two sympathies and hopes into one; and it rests upon the mutual confidence and devotion of husband and wife.

May it be in extreme thoughtfulness and reverence, and in dependence upon divine guidance, that you enter now into this holy relationship."

As the preacher spoke the words Mercedes eyes caught Sam's eyes and his green eyes bored into hers. She felt Kurt tighten his arm around hers and she looked down and realized that she was pulling away from him. She gave him a sheepish grin and turned back towards the preacher.

"Being assured that your love and your choice of each other as lifelong companions are in God's will and that you have your families' blessings. I now ask. Who gives this woman to be married to this man?"

"I do," Kurt said in a choked voice, "And her mother."

Mercedes swallowed hard and she looked Kurt. Bright tears were falling from his eyes but he gave her an even brighter smile. He hugged her tightly to him and whispered, "I love you, Mercy. Be happy."

He then gave her another big kiss on her cheek before taking her hand and placing it in Sam's.

"Take care of her," He said quietly to Sam before sitting down next to Marilyn.

Mercedes was worried that her hands were cold and clammy but if Sam noticed he didn't let it show. He continued watching her solemnly and rubbing the back of her hands with his thumbs as the preacher continued on.

"The apostle Paul compared the relationship between husband and wife to that between Christ and the church. Marriage is a decision of two individuals to share the same type of pure, Christian love described by Paul.

In 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 is says, Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

This kind of love enriches each part of life and marriage enriches love. Two lives, shared with this kind of love, can hold more fulfillment and happiness than either life alone."

"At this time the bride and groom would like to share the vows that they have written to one another. Sam, you may go first."

Sam tightened his grip on Mercedes' hands and his green eyes shone brightly with unshed tears.

"Mercedes…" He started but stopped for a second to clear the huskiness from his throat.

"Mercedes," He began again in a strong and clear voice, "I love you. Before I met you I was lost and I didn't even know it. Ever since I lost my mother I have been searching for something, I needed something and I didn't realize what it was until I met you. You give me peace. Losing my mother robbed me of my sense of peace but you gave it back to me. You center me but at the same time you move me. Sometimes it feels as if my life didn't truly begin until I met you. You are the love of my life and I thank God every day that he brought you into my life. You are my everything."

"Damn it." Mercedes heard Santana whisper behind her and she glanced back again to find her friend reaching into her bodice for her handkerchief. The sight of it brought a smile to her face and it calmed her enough to squeeze her own words out past the knot in her throat.

"Sam…you're everything I never knew I wanted. When I met you I was a mess, I was in a rut and frankly I had no intention of getting out of it. I was comfortable but I was also stagnant. I wanted a change but I was too afraid to change—but then I met you. You snatched me out of my comfort zone so quickly that you had my head spinning. I wasn't expecting you…you were not a part of my plan. Sometimes it feels as if we've been to hell and back but there isn't anyone on the face of the planet I would rather take that journey with. You saved me. Loving you, as scary as it could be sometimes saved me from myself. Loving you made me a stronger woman. Loving you made me face my demons. Loving you helped me to learn to love myself. You were never a part of my plan but I thank God every day you ended up in my life anyway, I can't imagine it now without you in it. I love you so much."

A tear slowly rolled down Mercedes cheek and Sam reached up and brushed it away with his index finger before running his thumb lightly over her lips.

The preacher cleared his throat loudly bringing the two of them out of their moment as he announced that it was no time to exchange the rings. Mercedes turned back to her friends to find them all staring back at her with blotchy tearstained faces. Emma fumbled with the bouquets a bit but she was finally able to hand Mercedes her ring without dropping anything. When Mercedes turned back to Sam she found him staring at her expectedly with his ring already ready to be placed on her finger.

"It is a Christian custom to exchange rings as a symbol of love. As the rings have no end so your love should have no end. As the rings are made of gold symbolizing purity, so should your marriage have purity. As often as either of you see them, you will be reminded of this moment and the endless love you promised."

"Sam, what token do you give that you will perform your vows?"

Sam lifts the ring to show the preacher.

"Mercedes, do you receive this ring in token of the same?"

"I do."

At those words Sam gingerly lifted Mercedes' hand in his and with slightly trembling fingers he slid the ring on.

"Mercedes, this ringI give to you in token and pledge of my constant faith and abiding love."

The preacher then turned to Mercedes and recited the words he said to Sam just moments earlier.

"Mercedes, what token do you give that you will perform your vows?"

She then lifts Sam's wedding band for the preacher to see.

"Sam, do you receive this ring in token of the same?"

"I do." He answered huskily.

Mercedes then took his hand and with trembling fingers of her own slid the thick band onto his left ring finger.

"Sam, this ring I give to you in token and pledge of my constant faith and abiding love."

The preacher than led them in a prayer asking God to give them grace and guidance as they went through the journey of life together as one. Once the prayer was done the preacher went on to conclude the ceremony.

"What therefore God hath joined together, let no man put asunder. Forasmuch as Sam and Mercedes have consented together in holy matrimony, and have witnessed the same before God and this company and have pledged their love and loyalty to each other, and have declared the same by the joining and the giving of rings, I, therefore, by the authority of the state of New York, pronounce that they are husband and wife, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ."

"You may now kiss the bride."

At that a slow smile crossed Sam's face and he brought his left hand up to Mercedes' face. She felt the cold metal of his wedding band pressing against her skin and it brought a smile to her face. He leaned down and a second before his lips touched hers she felt rather than heard him whisper against her lips, "Hello, Mrs. Evans."


	34. Perfect Puzzle

"Ten minutes everybody! TEN MINUTES!"

Sam rolled his eyes as he fiddled with the platinum cuff links at his wrists. The wedding party had arrived at the Mandarian Oriental about half and hour ago and the men and women were holed up in their respective suites getting ready to go down to the reception. Kurt ran back and forth between rooms barking orders, tying ties, pinning hair among a host of other things. Just five minutes ago he had run into the men's suite with Liliana holding on to him for dear life but before Sam could save his daughter Kurt found whatever he was looking for and swept out of the room with her.

In retrospect Sam wished he had just went along with Mercedes and said fuck the 100 plus guests who were currently enjoying cocktail hour in the ballroom's foyer and instead kept it simple and sweet with a handful of guests. Now instead of spending alone time with his new wife he was in a room getting dressed with a bunch of guys so that he could go out and spend the next few hour schmoozing with virtual strangers.

He was an idiot.

"How ya feeling man?" Mike asked as he came behind him and slapped him on the back. "Has it sunk in yet that you're a married man?"

Sam laughed slightly and looked down at the wide gold band on his left hand.

"Maybe it would if I got to spend more than five seconds alone with my wife."

"It'll come you just have to get through this reception and then she'll be all yours." Mike wagged his eyebrows suggestively and hit him again.

"Yeah I know man, I just want like five minutes alone with her before the reception."

"I'm the best man so I'm going to handle this okay? Let me see what I can do."

"Okay," Sam answered but he wasn't hopeful that Mike could get it done. His friend was formidable but Sam didn't even think he stood a chance against Hurricane Kurt.

Less than a minute later Mike came shuffling back in the room and he waved the other men out of the room but before he shut the door behind him he turned and gave Sam a thumbs up and a wink.

The sudden hush that fell over the room once the other men were out was slightly unnerving but Sam didn't have time to worry much about it because seconds later the door was pushed open again and Mercedes walked inside. Sam sucked in a breath at the sight of his wife standing in front of him. She had changed out of her wedding dress into another dress that was similar in design but sleeker and easier to get around in. Her hair had been pulled out of its clips and re-curled so that it lay in heavy waves down her back. She looked stunning and Sam could hardly believe she was his.

Mercedes pushed away from the door and sauntered towards him with a small smile playing at her lips.

"Hello, Mr. Evans," she said softly in a seductive tone as she made her way to him. Sam could feel his toes unvoluntairly curling in his shoes as he felt, rather than heard, the sound of Mercedes voice all over his body.

"Hello, Mrs. Evans," he replied back as he pulled her into his arms, "keep that up and we're going to miss our wedding reception."

"Mmmmm…promise?" She asked as she looked up at him through thick eyelashes.

He felt himself go instantly hard and he glanced at the bed across the room and quickly calculated what his odds were of getting her on it and the dress over her head—

"Don't even think about it Sam."

"What?" He asked with fake innocence.

"Don't what me," she laughed, "I saw that face…I know that face and exactly where it leads."

"Can you blame me?"

"Not at all because honey, you are doing things with that suit that should be illegal."

"Is that right?"

"Mmm-hmmm." She murmured before bursting into giggles that Sam couldn't help but join in with.

Once their laughter subsided he gently grabbed her face in his hands a brought her mouth up to his. He peppered small kisses on her lips and she gave quiet little moans ever time their lips met. Sam wanted nothing more than to deepen the kiss but he knew once he got started he wouldn't want to stop.

He murmured, "I love you," against her lips before kissing her one last time and he regretfully let her go and took a big step back.

"Wha-?" Mercedes asked in a dazed voice as she swayed slightly. She opened her eyes and blinked up at him in confusion.

"We have to stop otherwise…"Sam trailed off as he looked pointedly at the bed. "I don't think Hurricane Kurt would appreciate finding us in flagrante delicto."

"Hurricane Kurt?" She asked in an amused tone, "Santana has been calling him Cyclone Hummel all day long. He really has been at a 10 all day hasn't he?"

"10? Try 100. I don't think he's ate, slept or breathed in the last few days."

"He has done a remarkable job, almost nothing has gone wrong and if it did I didn't know anything about it. Do you think he'll like our gift?"

"He better considering how much it's costing us."

As a thank you for everything he'd done Sam and Mercedes decided that since he wouldn't take money they would send him on a vacation instead. For years Kurt had gone on and on about wanting to go to Tahiti so they booked him and Blaine a week long all expenses paid trip. Kurt had been going non-stop every since planning for the wedding began and he made Mercedes' life a million times easier than it would have been without him. The joked around about his method and his madness but at the end of the day they both knew he was invaluable.

"When are we giving it again?" Sam asked.

"Before we go down for the reception, remember?"

A quiet knock on the door interrupted Sam's intended response so he called out a quick "come in," instead. He was expecting Kurt to pop his head in and demand that they head down to the reception but the face peeking around the corner instead was Marilyn.

She did a quick survey of the situation and he could tell by the relieved look on her eyes she expected to find them doing a bit more than just talking. She pushed the door open and as she walked into the room Sam and Mercedes saw who she brought along with her.

"Lily Bug!" Mercedes cooed as she held her arms out for their daughter who was currently squirming in Marilyn's arms in an effort to get to her parents.

Marilyn handed Lily to Mercedes before dropping a quick kiss on her forehead. "Kurt said the two of you have five minutes of family time before we HAVE to be downstairs. The sitter is waiting in the next room to put Lily to bed once you guys are ready."

"Okay, thank you Mama."

"You're welcome baby. You both look gorgeous."

"Thanks Mari—Mama." Sam corrected himself when Marilyn shot him a knowing look. She told him months ago to start calling him Mama if he were comfortable and while it took some getting used to he realized he liked it a lot.

"I'm going to finish getting ready and get settled in downstairs. I'll see you two in a bit!"

With that Marilyn hurried out of the room and closed the door firmly behind her. Once she was out Sam came forward and placed a big, wet, sloppy kiss on Lily's cheek that had her blowing raspberries at him. He blew one back at her and the wide, joyous smile she gave him in return warmed his heart.

He led them over to the bed and it was the first time since Mercedes entered the room that his thoughts were completely pure.

They laid Lily on the bed and they both hovered over her and watched in amusement as she valiantly tried putting her foot in her mouth. She rocked back and forth working her foot up to her face but every time she'd get close she rock too far one way and ended up on her side. After her fourth attempt the frustration was too much for her and she started to wail plaintively.

"Awww honey," Sam cooed as he gathered her up in his arms and rocked her, "don't cry sweetheart."

Liliana's wide, wet hazel eyes blinked up at Sam as her cries quieted and was replaced by a big pout on her plump lips.

Sam's heart ached at seeing his baby girl so sad so he picked up her tiny foot and kissed the bottom of it. She squirmed in his arms but the pout was gone and was replaced with the beginnings of a smile. He picked up her other foot and blew a raspberry on the bottom of it and the tiny smile turned into a full-fledged belly laugh that had both him and Mercedes joining in. They took turns tickling her and peppering her face with tiny laughter until she was practically wheezing with laughter.

"Okay, that's enough," Mercedes said as she wiped tears from her eyes. "We have to stop before she gets worked up and gives the nanny hell."

"You're right," Sam admitted as he scooped up Lily and rested her against his chest. "Let's get her put down so we can get this reception over with."

"Ugh, excuse you?" Mercedes asked indignantly.

"Don't look at me like that, you and I both know the quicker we get through that reception the quicker we get to do what we really want to be doing."

The angry look melted off Mercedes face and she swallowed hard as she looked at Sam's mouth. He licked his lips deliberately and her eyelids fluttered shut. She shook her head slightly to clear it and when she opened her eyes they were staring up at him accusingly.

"Don't start that," she warned, "because there is nothing you can do about it for at least the next couple of hours."

"You sure about that?" Sam asked in a low voice as he moved closer to her. "We're the bride and groom and this is our day so I think if we wanted to leave after 15 minutes we could."

"We could," She agreed as she stood on her tiptoes and kissed him softly, "but we're not going to."

Sam dropped his forehead against her and groaned softly. "I just want to be alone with you for longer than five minutes…and preferably with a lot less clothing on."

"Soon…" she promised in a whisper. She kissed him again before dropping one on Lily's head that was now lying comfortably on Sam's chest.

"Her little eyes are starting to droop," Mercedes said as she looked at her sleepy daughter, "let's take her to Sugar so that we can get this show on the road."

Once Lily had been home for a while and seemed to be out of the woods the conversation about Mercedes coming back to work full time came back up. The idea of a nanny didn't sit well with Mercedes and she didn't like the idea of being away from Lily all day long and frankly neither did Sam. So after much discussion they finally decided that a daycare at the job was the thing that would make them the happiest. Sam had to admit that he was ashamed that with all of the employees that he had that were parents he never thought before to offer an on site daycare. When the idea was brought to the employees most of them loved the idea. He could tell that there were a few that weren't all that overjoyed at the thought of children in the building but nobody made too much of a fuss about it. It was decided that two of the largest conference rooms on the first floor would be combined and turned into a daycare and after a little over a month of construction it was completed. The dreary conference room was transformed into a colorful, fun, interactive place and the children loved it. Sugar Motta was hired on, along with five other women, to specifically take care of the babies and toddlers. Lily liked all the women at the daycare but she really loved Sugar and she lit up like a Christmas tree every time she saw her. One day when Sam and Mercedes went to visit Lily during lunch they were discussing who they were going to get to watch her during the reception and Sugar overheard them and offered her services free of charge. It was a no brainer because they both trusted her with Lily and they knew she would do a good job watching her.

As soon as they walked into Sugar's room she clapped excitedly and took the now snoozing Lily from Sam's arms.

"Oh my God," she stage-whispered, "you two look so amazing!"

"Thanks Sugar." Sam said graciously as he wrapped his arm around Mercedes waist. "We can't tell you how much it means to us for you to do this."

"It's my pleasure, you know how much I love Lily so it isn't problem at all. Besides this hotel is ah-mazing."

"Glad you think so," Mercedes said as she gave Sam a pointed look which he knew was his cue.

"So Sugar, I know you said you didn't want us to pay you—"

"And I don't." She interrupted.

"And we respect that but we still want to give you something to say thank you."

Sam reached inside his jacket pocket and pulled out a shiny red envelope and handed it to Sugar. She stared at it in confusion as Mercedes came forward and took Lily from her so that she could open the envelope. She turned it over to the front and gasped loudly at the words Christian Louboutin embossed in the front in black. She turned the envelope back over and opened it with trembling hands.

"2500 dollars?" She squealed as she read the paper inside, "You got me a gift certificate for TWENTY FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS?"

Lily's head snapped up at Sugar's shrill words and her face scrunched up angrily at being woken up. Mercedes patted her back soothingly and Lily laid her head back down on her chest but she could tell by her breathing that she was still awake.

Sugar kept nodding and shaking her head like a bobblehead and Mercedes and Sam looked at her worriedly.

"Sugar, are you okay? We didn't mean to overwhelm you." Mercedes said cautiously, "I got all of my bridesmaids a gift certificate as well so I thought it would be a nice thank you gesture for you too. You've been great with Lily these last few months and volunteering like you did really helped us out a lot and—oh hell, she's crying now."

Sam stepped forward and patted her awkwardly on her back while looking helplessly at Mercedes who just shrugged at him. Lily wasn't much help either with the slightly perturbed expression on her face as she watched them.

Getting Mercedes alone in a room away from all the madness was seeming more and more like a good idea the longer the night wore on. At this rate Sugar would be hysterical soon and she wouldn't even be able to watch the baby and Mercedes wouldn't want to put her off on anyone else which meant they would have her all night. Which meant no sex and that just wasn't going to work for Sam.

His mind worked frantically to come up with a way to calm Sugar down enough so that she could take Lily, so he and Mercedes could get down to the reception and that much closer to be alone. Thankfully for him he didn't have to think for very long because within seconds he could hear Kurt's very loud voice in the hallway calling for them.

"In here," Sam yelled out as he continued to watch a still shaking Sugar warily.

"What part of five minutes do you two not—what in the hell did you do to her?" Kurt asked in surprise as he walked into the room and saw Sugar. "Did you fire her? I do NOT have time to find somebody else to watch Lily and she can't come in the ballroom."

"Calm down Kurt," Mercedes cut in, "we didn't fire her, we gave her the gift certificate."

"Ah, I see. $2500 worth of Loubou merch is enough to make anybody cry." Kurt said matter-of-factly, "Sugar, honey, I get it but it's nothing to get hysterical over. Just breathe in through your nose and out your mouth so you don't have a panic attack and pass out."

Sugar nodded her head and drew in a few shaky breaths until she calmed down. Once is was clear she wasn't going to faint or burst into a fit of hysterics Mercedes felt comfortable enough to give her Lily back.

"Thank you two so much," Sugar said in a wobbly voice as she settled Lily into the crook of her arm.

"You're welcome," Sam and Mercedes said simultaneously.

They both blew kisses to Liliana and with promises to get her in the morning they left with Kurt shooing them impatiently from behind.

"Ok you guys the guests are already seated and ready for dinner." Kurt explained on the elevator on their way to the ballroom. "The wedding party is being introduced now and you guys will follow right after so we have to hurry!"

Sam felt a nudge on his side and he looked to see Mercedes giving him the same pointed look that she gave him earlier.

"Um, Kurt we have something for you and we wanted to make a bigger deal out of it but we didn't think Sugar would take up so much time having a meltdown so…here you go."

Sam reached into his inside jacket pocket again and pulled out another envelope, white this time, and thrust it in Kurt's direction.

"Another gift certificate?" Kurt asked curiously and he turned the envelope over to the front to find it blank.

"Just open it." Mercedes urged him with a smile on her face.

The elevator gave a loud ding signaling their arrival and the trio stepped off the elevator and headed down the hallway towards the ballroom. As the got closer they could hear the loud hum of voices and the soft tinkling of a piano.

The three of them stopped outside the door and Kurt gave them both an appraising look before tearing open the envelope. He pulled out to plane tickets and looked at them in confusion before raising his eyes back to Sam and Mercedes.

"They're round trip tickets for you and Blaine. To Tahiti. For a week."

"I…I…don't know…I'm speechless." Kurt breathed out as he continued looking at the tickets.

"Everything is paid for and all the information about the place you are staying at is in a packet at home. It's no Christian Louboutin gift certificate but we hope you like it anyway."

Kurt raised tear-filled eyes and he rushed forward and hugged them both tightly.

"I hate both you." He cried, "Only the two of you would do something like this right before your wedding reception knowing I had to MC the damn thing."

"Awww, we hate you too," Mercedes said playfully as she wiped at the few tears that fell from his eyes.

"This wedding wouldn't have happened without you Kurt so the vacation is the least we could do." Sam added.

"I love it and I'm sure Blaine will love it too. Thank you both so much."

"You're welcome."

Kurt hugged Mercedes tightly again and even pulled Sam in for a quick hug. He stared at his two friends for a second before shaking his head in disbelief and tucking the envelope with the plane tickets into his jacket pocket.

"Are you two ready? I'll go in and announce you and you'll come out wave at your subject…I mean guests and go into the first dance. After that we'll do the speeches and then serve dinner. Okay?"

"And when can we leave?" Sam asked as he moved to the side to dodge Mercedes' elbow.

Kurt just shot him a dirty look before spinning on his heel and stalking inside the ballroom.

Once he was inside Sam and Mercedes could hear the dull roar lower to a quiet murmur that was barely heard and the piano notes tinkled away to nothing. As they waited Sam grabbed Mercedes' hand and brought it up to his lips, he kissed her knuckles gently and smiled against her hand.

"I love you," he murmured against her fingertips and he smiled again when he felt her fingers grip his tighter in response.

The doors of the ballroom were pulled open by a couple of ushers and Sam and Mercedes knew that was their cue. They heard Kurt's clear voice asking the guests to stand to welcome the new Mr. and Mrs. Sam Evans. The sound of guests rising from the chairs propelled Sam and Mercedes forward and they made the long walk to the dance floor. As they walked into the room loud applause erupted and Sam felt Mercedes move in closer to his side. He squeezed her hand and continued leading her toward the center of the room.

Once they finally reached the dance floor Sam pulled Mercedes in close and for the first time since the day had began he finally felt like it was just the two of them even though they were surrounded by over a hundred guests.

As the first notes of the music played of their song Sam dropped his forehead down until it was resting on Mercedes. The song they chose was not traditional and pretty much everyone that heard what it was going to be questioned why it was their choice but Sam and Mercedes knew it was perfect for them. He lost count of how many times he had fallen asleep to Mercedes softly humming it in his ears. He couldn't remember how many times it was playing in the background as they made love to each other. He only thought about one person whenever he heard that song and it was her. It might not be traditional but it was theirs.

Settle down with me  
Cover me up  
Cuddle me in

Lie down with me  
And hold me in your arms

And your heart's against my chest, your lips pressed to my neck  
I'm falling for your eyes, but they don't know me yet  
And with a feeling I'll forget, I'm in love now

As they swayed from side to side Sam thought of the first moment that he saw her. If somebody would have told him in that moment that a year later he would be married and have a kid with her he would have never believed it. In fact, he would have bet his entire fortune that it would never happen. Some days he didn't know how he ended up here but he thanked God every day for it regardless.

Kiss me like you wanna be loved  
You wanna be loved  
You wanna be loved  
This feels like falling in love  
Falling in love  
We're falling in love

He twirled her and brought back close and he smiled when he heard her little giggle. He pulled her close again and he buried his face in her hair. As the music flowed over him he tried to think back to the moment he fell in love and he realized he couldn't pinpoint the exact moment. He knew he lusted over her the second he met her but the love part snuck up on him. She literally jumpstarted his life and she didn't even realize it.

Settle down with me  
And I'll be your safety  
You'll be my lady

I was made to keep your body warm  
But I'm cold as, the wind blows  
So hold me in your arms

My heart's against your chest  
Your lips pressed to my neck  
I've fallen for your eyes  
But they don't know me yet

And the feeling I forget  
I'm in love now

Kiss me like you wanna be loved  
Wanna be loved  
Wanna be loved

This feels like I've fallen in love  
Fallen in love  
Fallen in love

He thought about the bleakness he felt when he realized that she had left him. That soul wrenching emptiness was only rivaled by how he felt when his mother had died. He was already a broken man but losing her and Lily forever would have crushed him beyond repair. He didn't know if he'd ever be able to truly let Mercedes know just how much she meant to him.

Yeah I've been feeling everything  
From hate to love  
From love to lust  
From lust to truth  
I guess that's how I know you

So hold you close  
To help you give it up

So kiss me like you wanna be loved  
Wanna be loved  
Wanna be loved

This feels like I've fallen in love

Fallen in love  
Fallen in love

As the final notes of the song rang out through the ballroom Sam pressed his lips to Mercedes forehead and hugged her tighter to his body. He wanted to remember this moment for as long as he lived because they would never have another first dance as husband and wife.

The room filled with applause as the song ended and Sam pulled away from Mercedes slightly forcing her to lift her head from his chest. She looked up at him with a dreamy look on her face and he bent down and tenderly placed a kiss on her lips. They pulled apart and they did a complete turn graciously acknowledging their guests surrounding them. Sam led Mercedes to their table which was already filled with their wedding party. The men all had wide smiles on their faces while the women were dabbing at their eyes. Santana was brushing tears away as well but she was glaring at them while she did it.

Once they were seated Kurt walked back out on the dance floor and announced that before dinner was served they would be doing the best man and matron of honor speeches. There were good-natured groans heard all around but after a few seconds of grumbling Mike stood and headed towards the dance floor. He and Kurt exchanged a few words before Mike took the microphone and turned his attention to Sam and Mercedes.

"So, here we are," Mike began with a wide smile on his face, "if you would have told me a few years ago I would be speaking at Sam Evans' wedding I would have laughed in your face and probably would have still be laughing to this day."

The crowd twittered with quiet laughter as Sam rolled his eyes in pretend annoyance.

"Sam is they type of man that has pretty much been good at everything he's ever set his mind to but romance…romance was never his strong suit." Mike said with a short laugh, "I've always wanted happiness for my friend but to be honest I always assumed that his happiness would come in the form of him being an old workaholic bachelor but then he met her. The first time I ever heard about Mercedes was when Sam came out to LA for work and we met up for lunch. I hadn't seen him in person in months but the man that was sitting in front of me at that time was like a brand new person. He was happy and in love and it was mind blowing for me to see because I never expected it. They had only been together for six weeks and he already had a ring and was ready to propose. I didn't know Mercedes then but I knew in that moment whoever she was she had changed my friend forever."

Sam slid his hand into Mercedes' under the table and she looked over at him with tear-filled eyes and gave him a small smile.

"They've had their ups and downs, as all couples do, but for them to overcome what they have and still be standing together is a testament to how the strong they are as a couple. I don't believe in fairy tales or even love at first sight but I do believe that if you're lucky enough to find the right person your heart just knows. So, I just want to say congratulations to my two dear friends and I hope that the two of you have a long and happy life together."

The room erupted in applause and Mike handed the mike back to Kurt and made his way back to the table. He reached for Mercedes first and gave her a tight hug and a kiss on the cheek before clasping Sam's hand and bringing him in for a hug. Once they were settled back in their seats they all turned their attention to Emma who was staring back at them with eyes 10 times larger than their normal size.

Sam heard Mercedes murmur to Emma that she didn't have to give a speech but his former assistant shook her head firmly and said she was fine before getting up and heading towards the dance floor.

"Um, I'm not very good at this," she began nervously once she got the mike from Kurt, "Public speaking has never been something I was good at so please bear with me. I've known Sam for a very long time and like Mike I've always had my assumptions about him. I knew the boy he was years ago and I knew the man he had to become after his father's death. It changed him, which is to be expected but it hardened him as well. I think it's human nature when you blow after blow to your heart to protect it and shield it the best that you can. When I met Mercedes I saw so many of the same things in her that I saw in Sam. Ironically enough it was right there in front of me but I never made the connection. When I went on maternity leave and needed a replacement I just thought I was finding Sam a good employee, I didn't know I would be introducing him to the love of his life. I am so happy to say that you two are the best accident I've ever witnessed. I love you both and I wish you a lifetime of happiness together."

Emma handed the mike back to Kurt and she scurried off the stage back to the table. She grabbed both Sam and Mercedes and the two surrounded her in a group hug. Sam dropped a small kiss on Emma's head and she gave him a teary smile in response.

As everyone sat back down their seats a quiet hum in the room started but it was abruptly stopped by the sound of Kurt clearing his throat.

"Um, I know this was just supposed to be best man and matron of honor speeches but I had something that I wanted to say." His voice broke slightly and Sam heard Mercedes take in a sharp shaky breath beside him. "I've known Mercedes practically my whole life, the first time I broke a bone she was there to hold my hand while I got it set. The first time I got my heart broke she was there to comfort me. When I was terrified to come out to my father she told me she would always be by my side and love me no matter what. When she fell in love with Sam it terrified me because I was sure it meant I was going to lose my best friend…my sister. I didn't like Sam at first, I really didn't but while I told myself it was because I didn't trust him and didn't think he was good for Mercedes the truth is I knew, whether I wanted to admit it to myself or not, I knew that if they could get their stuff together and be on the same page he would be her best friend and she would be his. Despite their differences they fit like two pieces of a perfect puzzle and there wouldn't be room for me anymore. Thankfully I was wrong, I didn't lose my best friend but instead I gained a new one. Your love story inspires me because it gives me hope that if I've found the right person, and I know I have, then we can make it. I'm not a religious person but I 100% believe that God or some higher power put the two of you together and gave you the tribulations that you've had because He knew you would make it. I love you guys so much and I want to thank you so much for letting me be a part of your perfect puzzle."

Kurt blew a kiss to them before discreetly brushing tears away and clearing his throat. "Between Mike, Emma, and myself I think we've made enough people cry so it's time to eat!"

The room because a bustle of energy as waiters came out of the wings to start with the first course. The guests had a choice when they RSVP between a chicken, beef or vegetarian menu and they were seated accordingly. If all went to plan the dinner portion of the reception should flow like a well oiled machine.

A little of an hour later it was proven that the method was a successful one. Aside from a few near collisions with a couple of waiters there wasn't a single problem the entire dinner service. The food was delicious and it was clear from the murmurings throughout the crowd everyone was impressed.

Kurt, who had just downed his fourth glass of champagne, practically skipped onto the dance floor to announce that before the cake cutting they would be throwing the bouquet and garter. Sam resisted the urge to rub his hands together excitedly at the thought of getting the garter off of Mercedes' leg. He was ready to go and he knew a surefire way to make sure she was as ready as he was.

First they called out all the single ladies for the bouquet toss. A ridiculously large group of women practically sprinted out on the floor and posted up just feet away from Mercedes. Suddenly the sound of Beyonce's 'Single Ladies' burst out over the sound system and the women became a barely restrained heaving mass of bodies. Mercedes laughed loudly at the women before making a big show of readying herself to toss the bouquet. Finally after a few teases she flung the flowers over her shoulder and the women jumped on it like it was a slow zebra and they were a pack of hyenas. Finally after a borderline violent scuffle Santana practically rolled out of the group with the mostly intact bouquet clutched triumphantly in her hands.

Sam shook his head in disbelief at the women while Mercedes and Kurt stood next to him practically howling in laughter. As the disgruntled women sulked off the floor a significantly smaller group of single men came onto the floor reluctantly. Sam helped Mercedes into the chair that was brought on the floor by Mike and he gave her a salacious wink before getting down on his knees and lifting up the skirt of her dress. Instead of pulling up the skirt so that they guests could see what he was doing he practically dived underneath and he felt her jerk as his cool hands touched her bare thighs. He could hear the men behind him whooping and hollering as he slid his mouth up her leg. When he made it to her thigh he bypassed the garter completely and made his way quickly to her center where placed a quick, hot kiss right against the fabric of her panties. He heard her give a yelping noise and her thighs clamped around her head momentarily but it was enough for him to know he had her. He slid back down her thigh and licked the skin on her thigh right under her garter before grabbing it with his teeth and dragging it down her leg. By the time he emerged from under her dress the crowd on the dance floor had grown exponentially and they were loudly rooting him on. He glanced down at Mercedes and he could tell by the shallow breaths causing her breasts to press heavily against the bodice of her dress that she was affected but the glare she was giving him let him also know she wasn't too happy about it. He gave her a quick wink and a smile before turning and shooting the garter directly at where Kurt and Blaine were standing. Both men got a hand on the garter and they smiled sheepishly at one another as the crowd roared around them.

Sam reached out his hands to help Mercedes up and she gripped his hand tight—tighter than necessary—and she continued to glare at him while simultaneously giving him a sickly sweet smile that he knew was solely for the guests benefit.

"You are in so much trouble," she said in a low voice through gritted teeth, "what if somebody knew what you were doing?"

"I was under a mile of fabric Mercy, nobody could see me much less what I was doing." He whispered as he bent down to kiss her throat, "you can admit you liked it you know."

"I didn't—" She started to say but she could barely get the words out as Sam gently teased her earlobe with his teeth.

"I'm ready to go Mercedes," he whispered in her ear and he could feel her shiver. "Ten more minutes is all I'm willing to stay, anything beyond that and I'm dragging you off this floor."

"Mmm-hmmmm," she murmured brokenly as she pressed her body against his. "Ten minutes."

Sam looked down at her and he could tell by the way her pupils dilated and her already dark eyes got impossibly darker that she was all in with the ten minute plan.

"Kurt!" Sam called out, "we're ready to get this show on the road…where's the cake?"

Kurt glared at them because he knew exactly why they were rushing him but he made quick work of getting the guests attention focused to the tables where he cake was set up. The four-tiered white cake with purple and silver ribbons around each tier was a sight to behold and one that Sam wished he could better appreciate but he could barely concentrate with the feeling on Mercedes fingers trailing along the back of his hand. The subsequent cake cutting and pictures were all a blur in his mind and he hoped someone got it on film because he was sure five minutes from now he would remember none of it.

Sam's very thin hold on his control almost snapped into a million pieces when he was feeding Mercedes her piece of cake and caught his index finger in her mouth and bit down lightly on it. That was bad enough but the slow wink that she gave him after and the overly exaggerated lip licking that followed had Sam ready to officially shut the reception down. The guests seemed to be oblivious to the electricity crackling between Mercedes and Sam but Kurt had seen it enough times to know exactly what was coming. He once again got the guests' attention. They still had the ballroom for a few more hours so the dee-jay was getting set up to begin in a few minutes. Sam and Mercedes had originally planned on staying at least an hour for the dancing portion but plans changed and Sam was more interested in doing the horizontal tango than the Cha Cha slide.

The crowd converged on them as people tried to get in some last minute well wishes. Sam and Mercedes accepted them all graciously but it was clear to everyone around them that they weren't interested in chit chatting. Just feet away from the door they were stopped by Marilyn and Kenneth and Mercedes looked a bit ashamed and Sam knew she felt bad because with their shared one track mind they were about to leave the reception without saying goodbye to her mom and step-dad. Lucky for them Marilyn was no fool and she gave them both a knowing look with a smile.

"I know you two want to get out of her so I'll just say that I love you both very, very much and this has been a beautiful and blessed day."

"We love you too, Mama" Mercedes said as she leaned forward to hug her mother tightly. "Thank you so much for everything."

"Don't mention it, in fact, because I'm feeling extra gracious Kenneth and I are going to get Lily tomorrow and spend the day with her so the two of you can take your time doing…well, you know."

Sam could feel himself blushing and he looked up to find Kenneth visibly holding back his laughter. Sam knew he should probably feel more ashamed but it was hard to when he knew what he would be doing in just a few short minutes.

They exchanged hugs and 'I love yous' one more time before Sam and Mercedes made their way to the door. They turned one last time and waved at their guests and shouted 'thank yous' before Sam grabbed Mercedes by the hand and practically dragged her towards the elevator. Once they were inside he tugged her in, pushed their floor number and before the doors had even shut his mouth was on hers. They both moaned loudly in each other's mouths at the contact and their hands moved wildly over each other as they sucked and licked at each other's mouths. In just a few seconds they were on their floor and Sam pulled his mouth from Mercedes so that he could lead them to their room. Instead of going all out on some honeymoon they two of them decided to just spend the night in the honeymoon suite at the hotel and then plan a bigger, nicer trip for a later date when Lily was older.

As Sam slid the key card in the lock he had a hard time concentrating because Mercedes was placing little tiny kisses in the 'v' of his now opened dress shirt and fumbling with the belt and buttons on his pants. After the third attempt he was finally able to get the door opened and they practically stumbled inside the room. Neither one of them bothered with the lights and they let the glow from the lights in the buildings across the street help guide them through their suite.

After a few run-ins with some furniture they finally made their way to the bed and by then Mercedes had managed to get Sam's pants halfway down and his shirt hanging on by the cuff links He made quick work of that, tossing the cuff links carelessly on the bedside table and kicking the pants and shoes haphazardly across the room.

Mercedes was reaching for his boxer briefs but he stepped back out her grasp and gently removed her hands.

"Wait, let me see you."

She looked up at him demurely and did a slow turn in the dress. When she was facing him again she looked back up at him through her lashes and smiled almost bashfully. The glow from the outside lights played across her smooth brown skin and although Sam always thought she looked beautiful in that moment she had never looked more radiant.

"You are so beautiful," he whispered huskily.

Her smile grew wider as came forward and put her hands on his bare chest before kissing him softly right over his heart. He closed his eyes and dropped his forehead down on the top of her head. She continued running her lips across his pecs before turning her face up and kissing along his neck. He groaned softly and twined his fingers in her head.

"Turn around."

She kissed him one last time before turning in his arms. He swept her hair hair of her shoulder before dropping a few light kisses across her bare shoulder. She tilted her head to the side to give him better access and he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer. He followed the curve of her neck until he reached her earlobe. He tugged gently on it with his teeth and he heard her slight hiss of breath as she intertwined her fingers with his at her waist. He breathed in the sweet scent of her for just a moment before trailing soft, wet kisses down her spine. Once he reached the fastener of her dress he stared in disbelief at the long row of buttons down her back.

"It's going to take me all night to get these all unbuttoned." He whined.

Mercedes giggled and shook her head slightly before reaching behind her to show him the hidden zipper beneath the row of buttons.

"Oh thank God," He breathed out in relief causing Mercedes to laugh again.

He reached up and ran his fingertips gently over the bare expanse of her back right above her zipper before finally putting them both out of their misery and pulling it down slowly. The lower the zipper went the more shallow Mercedes' breath came to the point that when Sam got the zipper all the way down she was practically panting. He slid the dress down her hips and legs and he helped her step out of it. He picked it up off the floor and looked around for somewhere to hang it but Mercedes just took it from his grasp and threw it towards a chair over in the corner.

He looked at her in surprise but it was clear by the look on her face that the dress was the least of her worries. His gaze lowered and he swallowed hard at the sight of her in her wedding lingerie. The white corset hugged her curves and it pushed her breasts up until they were almost overflowing from the cups. A frilly pair of panties completed the look and it took everything in Sam not to rip it all off of her.

He brought his hand up to the front closure of her corset and when his fingers touched her skin he realized they were trembling slightly. They both stared at them for a second before she grabbed his hand and brought it to her mouth and kissed it gently. He framed her cheek with his hand before leaning down and rubbing his lips lightly against hers. They breathed in one another's mouths for a second before finally Sam turned his attention back to her corset. With steadier hands he unsnapped the closures one at a time until he could feel her breast spilling over the back of his hands. He slid his hands inside and ran his fingertips over her already distended nipples. Mercedes moaned at the contact and her head fell back.

He continued unbuttoning the corset until it was completely open and pushed open the two sides until they fell away from her body. Sam stared down at her hungrily and his mouth literally started watering at the sight of her he pushed her backwards until her knees hit the back of the bed. She sat down so heavily that she bounced slightly as she looked up at Sam with expectant eyes.

He gave a slight head jerk towards the head of the bed so she started scooting backwards and in the meantime he jerked down his boxer briefs and kicked them away. Mercedes ascent faltered a bit as her eyes trained on Sam's straining erection and he took advantage of her pause to reach up to her panties and snatch them away from her body. She gasped in shock at the torn piece of lingerie hanging from Sam's hand but it dissipated quickly as a look of pure lust took over and she opened her legs in a clear invitation.

Sam was sure the look on his face was almost predatory as he crawled quickly up the bed towards her. He started licking and sucking her right inner thigh until he got to the apex. He gave her pussy one long lick that had her jerking almost violently on the bed. She grabbed his hair and tugged it hard but it only fueled him instead of deterring him. She licked and sucked on her until she was writhing in the bed and screaming his name. He could tell she was almost close but he wanted to be inside the first time she came that night so with one last lick he moved his way up her body. He kissed her on her c-section scar before trailing wet kisses up her full stomach and over her breasts. He spent a few moments laving each nipple with his tongue until they both shined like two ripe berries. Mercedes breath was coming out in short choppy pants and she was moving against him trying to create some kind of friction to ease the ache she was so clearly feeling. Sam had planned on hours and hours of foreplay and he knew he had all night to love on Mercedes but he knew that right now they both needed to get off before they exploded.

After releasing her right nipple with a loud pop her kissed Mercedes along her neck before burying his face in it. He settled himself more comfortably between her thighs and he rubbed his throbbing dick against her folds and he slipped in fractionally before slipping right out.

"Goddamnit Sam!" Mercedes screamed out in frustration as she dug her nails in his back, "stop teasing me!"

Sam smiled against her neck but he refrained from admitting to her that he couldn't tease her anymore if he wanted to. He pulled his face away from her neck and looked down at her disgruntled face.

"I love you." He whispered right as he slid inside her to the hilt. He loved watching her pissed off expression melt away into one of pure bliss as he filled her.

"Sam...God, I love you too." She whispered shakily as she clenched his biceps, "Please move."

He stared at her for a second longer before he started to move his hips slightly. He started in a slight rocking motion before gradually changing it up to long slow thrusts. Soon the only sounds in the room were the sounds of heavy breathing, whispered words and the wet sticky noise of two sweaty bodies moving in sync. Sam lost track of how long the two of them moved together as one but before long he could feel the telltale signs that Mercedes was close; her breathing became almost erratic, the sounds come from her became higher and her grip on him became almost painfully tight.

He reached between them and moved his finger across her clit and it was enough to have her falling apart in his arms. She screamed out his name and dragged her fingernails down his back. The combined feeling of pleasure and pain and Mercedes body contracting around him had Sam falling over the cliff right behind her. They held each other tightly as their bodies were wracked simultaneously by the aftershocks of their climax.

Minutes, hours, or days later Sam really didn't know or care which he eased out of Mercedes and they both hissed at the loss of contact. He rolled over until he was laying next to her and he promptly pulled her into his arms.

"So on a scale of one to ten what was married sex like?" Sam asked jokingly.

"Mmmmm...about an eleven but I think we can do better."

"Really? After that, you think we can do better?"

"Well..." Mercedes said in a sultry voice as she moved over him, "we have a whole lifetime to find out."

3 YEARS LATER

"Mommy...Mommy...Mommy!"

Mercedes watched in amusement as her daughter sprinted across the park towards her with a fistful of flowers in her hand. At 3 and a half Liliana had already grown into a stunningly beautiful girl much to her father's chagrin. The light, almost white skin she had when she was a baby had darkened to a light medium brown and her heart-shaped face was surrounded by a cloud of dark brown curls. Her petite upturned nose was all Mercedes but her lips were all Sam. Arguably her most arresting feature was her doe shaped hazel eyes that were a little bit of both of her parents. She was a gorgeous little girl and aside from a few temper tantrums here and there she was an absolute joy to be around. As predicted she had Sam wrapped around her little finger and if she asked him for the whole world tomorrow he would find a way to get it for her. And even though Mercedes would never admit it out loud she knew she wasn't much better.

As Lily finally made it to the blanket that Mercedes was sitting on she proudly held up her latest batch of daises. Mercedes made all the appropriate 'oohs' and 'aahs' as she placed them in the growing pile of wildflowers next to her.

"Wow, sweetie, that's a lot of flowers! Who are all these for."

"Well," Lily began matter-of-factly, "some of them are for you, some are for Daddy, some are for me and some for the baby."

"Awww, that's sweet." Mercedes said as she patted her swollen belly. She was seven months pregnant, this time with a boy, and getting Lily prepared for the new addition had been an uphill battle. It had taken a few months but Mercedes was glad that her little girl was finally getting to the place where she was excited for her little brother.

As Mercedes straightened the flowers she saw Lily looking back impatiently at a little blond-haired boy standing in the patch of flowers and he seemed to be waiting for her.

"Who is that, again?" Mercedes asked even though she knew the answer.

"That is my best friend, he helped me pick flowers."

"Best friend? I thought Aubrey was your best friend."

"Mommy..." Lily said in a overly dramatic exasperated tone, "Aubrey is my best girl friend, Sean is my best boy friend."

"Is that right?" Mercedes asked with a laugh at her daughter's theatrics. "Well, you better hurry and get back to him because it looks like he's waiting."

Without another word Lily turned and sprinted back to where her friend Sean was waiting with a two handfuls of flowers. Mercedes laughed as Lily bounced happily in her place as Sean tried to gather both bundles in one hand to give to her.

Coming to the park had become a ritual for Mercedes and Lily and when the weather was good they would sometimes come every single day. When Sam could, he would join them but today he was swamped working on securing a major ad campaign. With the new baby coming Mercedes decided to start her maternity leave early so that she could spend time as much time with Lily as possible before the new baby came. The assistant that was taking her place was a very capable new grad from NYU. Joe Hart was ambitious, hard-working, and he could put up with Sam's sometimes crabby mood almost as well as Mercedes could. His ultimate plan was to become an advertising executive but for now he was more than happy to play assistant to the CEO. Sam never missed a day telling her how much he missed her at the office but she knew if he really had a choice he would much rather be at home with them than her be at the office with him.

Lily's loud peal of laughter brought Mercedes attention back to her and Sean and she watched in curious amazement at how much the two mirrored each other. For the last few weeks Sean and a woman that Mercedes assumed to be his grandmother had been almost as frequent visitors as Lily and Mercedes. The two children had seemed drawn to each other and they had hit it off almost immediately. Sean and his guardian always had a strict schedule that afforded Sean only about an hour of playtime every day. Mercedes didn't feel it was appropriate to approach the woman and try and start up a play date so she just brought Lily at the same time every day and more often than not when they came, Sean was there as well. The two children played well together and the times that Aubrey joined them they included her with no problem. It was clear the trio was close but there was no denying that Lily and Sean connected in a way that Aubrey and Sean or even Aubrey and Lily didn't.

The two kids continued tugging flowers from the ground until finally they apparently had enough. This time instead of just Lily the two of them came flying back across the park towards where Mercedes sitting.

"Wow, you guys this is a lot of flowers!"

The two kids looked flushed and happy as they stared at the huge pile of flowers on the blanket.

Mercedes smiled up at their little happy faces but she felt the blood drained from her face the more she stared at the two of them standing next to each other. It didn't make sense but despite their coloring differences, and their eye and nose shapes, and their height and build there was something about them that was similar. So subtly similar that unless you were looking right at them you wouldn't catch it.

Mercedes eyes narrowed as she studied the children and she tried to put her finger on what it was about them that made her think they were similar. It had to be something right in her face but for the life of her she couldn't figure out what it was-

"SEAN! SEAN, WHERE ARE YOU?"

"Uh oh," Sean said worriedly as he looked around in the direction of the loud male voice calling my name. "That's my dad, he's going to be so mad, he told me to stay by the flowers where he could see me."

Sean's big green eyes filled with tears and Mercedes slowly made her way to her feet.

"Don't worry sweetheart, it was an accident. I will talk to your Dad."

Mercedes smoothed down the back of her maxi dress and grabbed the children's hands and they walked towards the angry man that was stalking in their direction.

"SEAN!" The man said in voice filled with relief but still tinged with anger as he bent down and talked to his son, "What did I tell you about leaving the flower patch?"

"I'm sorry Dad," the boy said as his chin quivered, "I was just helping Lily take her flowers to her mom. I wasn't going to be gone long I promise!"

"It's okay,"His dad said with a heavy sigh, "Just next time tell me where you're going, okay? I was worried."

The man ruffled Sean's hair before standing up and looking at Mercedes, when their eyes met they both gasped out loud and Mercedes instinctively tightened her hold on Lily's hand.

"Ouch Mommy," Lily whined as she tried to pull her hand free, "you're hurting me."

"I'm sorry baby," Mercedes said as she dropped Lily's hand, "I didn't mean to squeeze your hand like that."

"It's okay," Lily said softly as big tears filled her hazel eyes making them appear green...almost the same shade green as Sean's eyes.

Mercedes looked back and forth at the children and suddenly the nagging similarity made sense. They weren't mirroring each other or seeming similar because of spending lots of time together, they were doing it because they were family.

"Hello Mercedes."

At the sound of that voice so many things came rushing back and almost all of them were negative and painful. She reached for her daughter and pulled her tight to her side before raising her head to look coldly at the man that almost single-handedly ruined her life.

"Hello Stevie."


	35. Hello, Stevie

"Hello Stevie."

Mercedes swallowed hard around the lump in her throat as she stared up at her estranged brother-in-law. It had been over three years and she had moved on and was happy but there was still a tiny part of her that vividly remembers the pain he inflicted.

The man standing before her barely resembled the young man she encountered years ago. His previously cut, lean body filled out to a studier, more muscular build. His old shaggy bleach blonde hair was now shaved down close to his skull. And his sharp, expensive, tailored suits were now replaced with worn jeans and an old Abercrombie and Fitch shirt.

As she surveyed him she could feel him doing the same to her. She shifted uncomfortably when she met his eyes again and found them boring into her.

"Mommy?" Lily said in a quiet questioning voice as she looked between her mother and her friend's father warily. She had always been a very intuitive child and very connected to both of her parents so she read their moods easily and usually matched them. Her mother being tense and uncomfortable was bound to put Lily on edge as well and Mercedes cursed herself under her breath for not controlling her reaction better.

"It's okay, baby." Mercedes said soothingly as she ran her hands through the top of Lily's head. "Why don't you and Sean go play in the flowers some more so Stevie and I can talk."

Lily looked back and forth suspiciously between Mercedes and Stevie and even though she looked as if she may refuse at first Sean's timidly outstretched hand proved too much to resist. She gave her mother one last long look before grabbing her cousin's hand and walking towards the dwindling patch of flowers.

Stevie and Mercedes watched the children until they reached the flower patch and then they turned back to look at each other as another long stretch of silence yawned between them.

"It's good seeing you again Mercedes." Stevie said finally after the world's longest silence.

"I'm sure it is," she snorted in response as she rolled her eyes. "Maybe you remember the way we parted a little bit differently than I do because there was nothing good about the last time I saw you."

"I know…that's not what I meant."

"Then what did you mean?" She snapped.

"I…I…shit…I'm sorry."

"For what?" She asked angrily, "For what you did three years ago or being stupid enough to think we can make small talk as if none of that ever happened?"

Stevie ducked his head in shame before rubbing his hand vigorously over the back of his neck.

"I wasn't trying to dismiss what happened all those years ago. What I did…the things I said…they were unforgivable."

Mercedes met Stevie's sad eyes and she felt a jolt of sympathy that she instantly tamped down. She wasn't stupid enough or naïve enough to blindly buy what Stevie was selling just because he said all the right words. She let her guard down once with him and got sucker punched in the worst way. She wouldn't make that mistake twice.

"What do you want then Stevie?"

"To apologize."

"You just said what you did was unforgivable, so what's the point?"

"Just because I don't think I deserve forgiveness doesn't mean you don't deserve an apology."

Mercedes continued watching him warily but the peal of their children's laughter softened her enough to nod slightly at him.

He let out a whoosh of air and gave her a slight smile that reminded her so much of Sam. He motioned towards a park bench a few feet away and they made their way towards it silence before sitting on opposite sides of the bench.

Mercedes shifted uncomfortably on the bench as she waited for Stevie to start talking. She swore to herself that she wouldn't be affected by what he said one way or the other but she still wanted to hear what he had to say.

"Um…." Stevie started out uncertainly before clearing his throat loudly, "I've thought a million times about what I'd say to you if I ever had the chance but now that I do, I can't think of where to start." He laughed nervously as he wiped his palms up and down his thighs.

Mercedes fought the urge to roll her eyes but she didn't say a word as she watched him apprehensively.

"Why?" She asked simply, "why don't you start there. Why did you do it?"

"I hated him." Stevie finally said after a long pause, "He was my brother but I hated him and I held on to that for years."

Mercedes instantly bristled at his comment and shook her head vehemently before rising from the bench.

"I'm not going to sit here and listen to you bash my husband." She hissed at him as she glanced over at the kids, "I asked you for a reason not for a—"

"That was my reason," Stevie said plainly as he motioned for her to sit back down. "I never said it was good reason or rational or fair but it was what I felt. After our mom died I was just…empty. I needed my brother and he abandoned me and I didn't care what his reasons were I just know how it affected me. It was selfish, I know, but being angry at my brother allowed me to be something other than sad about Mom so I held on to it with everything I had. As I got older the sadness faded but the hatred didn't. In my mind he was going on with his life without a care in the world while I was stuck. Dad loved him and he was the apple of his eye—his first born. I was just the fuck-up that reminded him too much of Mom. Dad didn't treat me badly, per say, but it was clear, at least to me, who he preferred. You get compared to someone enough and even under the best of circumstances you start to resent them."

"So what now? From what Sam has told me the two of you didn't part on good terms. You visited him in his office to rub it in his face that you had 'won' and then you took your new wife and all of her money skipped town. Speaking of which, where is your wife?"

"Ex-wife." He said curtly, "Last I heard she was living in Aspen with her second—no, third husband."

"Last you heard?"

"It's been almost a year since I've talked to her, almost two since I've actually seen her in person."

"But what about Sean? If you haven't talked to her—"

"Sean barely knows who Quinn is." He interrupted gruffly, "For the first few months she was the model parent but then over time the excitement over being a new mom wore off and she realized that she was stuck with this wailing, needy baby. Our sham of a marriage didn't last as long as it took the ink to dry on the marriage license. We both wanted to stick it to Sam for our own selfish reasons but more than that I really believe that Quinn thought we could work. It didn't take long for her to realize that would never happen and she grew to hate me and I grew more and more indifferent to her. Once the baby came she focused all of her energy on him and even though I'm ashamed to admit it I didn't want anything to do with him. She had an old family house in Connecticut that had been willed to her when her father died and it was the quintessential home out of cheesy 50s sitcom. So even though our marriage was a complete farce she still got the 'perfect' family with the white picket fence that she always thought she wanted. I put up a pretense for the neighbors but in reality I stayed out in the guest house while she dealt with Sean. I can barely even recall what looked like when he was a baby." Stevie shook his head slightly as he wiped at his eyes and coughed to clear his throat, "that will always been one of the biggest regrets in my life."

"What happened, if Quinn was so involved with Sean back then what changed?"

"Honestly, I'm not sure. I wasn't too involved at the time so I didn't notice the change but it was definitely there. At the beginning she was like Super Mom she had him on schedule, he was well-fed, well-groomed, and always cleaner than a whistle. Over time though, the few times I did see him I noticed that he always seemed hungry or his clothes were dirty or his diaper hadn't been changed. When I asked her about she would freak out and accuse me of calling her a bad parent which would always inevitably lead to her crying hysterically and threatening to leave and take the baby. I would always back off but the more and more it happened the more worried I became. When Sean was about 18 months he got sick, just a run of the mill of flu and the doctor put him on some medicine. It seemed that he was getting better but then all of a sudden he got deathly ill and he had to be put in a children's hospital. It turns out that he was severely allergic to the medicine the doctor gave him and if we had kept giving it to him thinking it was just flu symptoms then it would have killed him. Nearly losing him changed me. I never felt connected to him, I never allowed myself to but looking at his little body in that hospital bed not knowing whether he was going to live or die just…changed me."

"I know the feeling," She said quietly as she thought back to her own baby's close call and she wiped tears from her eyes as she watched as two very happy and healthy children held hands and spun around in circles in their little patch of flowers.

"It seemed the closer I got the Sean the further away Quinn got, before too long he was in the guest house with me while she in the house by herself."

"Do you think it was post-partum depression?"

"Maybe…probably…hell, I don't know. All I know is she had an idea of what her perfect family was and as soon as it became apparent that she wasn't getting it she checked out. Sick babies were never part of the plan and neither was an asshole absentee husband. While I was busy with our kid she was busy on . She met some guy on there from California and one day with no warning she asked me for a divorce so she could get remarried. To be honest I was relieved to be free of her but I wasn't cool with the idea of her taking my son cross-country to live with some prick I didn't know. Turns out I didn't need to be worried because she had no intention of taking Sean. Her new soon-to-be husband had adult kids of his own and he had no desire to raise another one. In the divorce she signed over her rights and gave me 100,000 dollars for Sean's care…I guess she assumed that money was enough to make up for him having no mother in his life. I didn't fight her and I took the money and set up a trust for Sean. The second the divorce was final she was on her way out to California and I brought Sean back to New York.

Six or seven months had went by without a peep from Quinn but then out of the blue she started calling again saying she made a mistake and she wanted her family back. I knew it was bullshit but I'll admit I was tempted because Sean was in the 'Terrible Twos' and he was a lot to handle. I was about to cave when one day she let it slip that her husband left her, it was clear she was only trying to reconnect because once again her family didn't work out the way she wanted it to. I humored her for a while but over time the calls became less and less frequent until they stopped altogether. I found out from one of her girlfriends that she got remarried and she's pregnant again. I hope it works out better for her this time…maybe she'll finally get her perfect family."

As Stevie's words trailed off Mercedes shook her head in disbelief. Never in a million years could she imagine just give up her child and walking away. Spending a day without her daughter was unbearable, she couldn't even begin to fathom a lifetime.

"I'm sorry," she said uncertainly, not really knowing what else to say.

"Don't be," he answered with a small wave of his hand, "if Quinn doesn't want to be here then Sean is better off without her. I know not having a mom around is hard but it's better than having one present that would rather be anywhere else than with you. I won't put that burden on my son, if I have to love him enough for the both of us then I can and I will."

"Wow…" Mercedes said quietly as she stared at him, "Frankly, you're the last person I ever expected to hear talk like that."

"You and me both." He laughed, "Man…it's funny how life works out, isn't it?

"Yeah…"

The two settled into silence once again as they watched their children blow flower petals back and forth to each other. Mercedes glanced at her watch and she noticed that it was getting close to lunch time.

"So…we had better get going. If Lily doesn't have her lunch at 12 sharp it's not pretty."

"Yeah, Sean's the same way. Given how he eats now I'm afraid to see how he's going to pack food away when he's a teenager."

"Well, Lily eats like a bird so I'm sure he'll be cleaning her plate too when they get older."

Out of the corner of her eye Mercedes could see Stevie's head turn sharply in her direction. She knew she was probably getting ahead of herself especially since she didn't know how Sam would react to the news but she couldn't imagine keeping those two kids apart.

"How is he?" Stevie asked, finally addressing the proverbial pink elephant in the room.

"He's good. He's happy."

"I'm glad to hear that...no, really I am." He stressed when Mercedes gave him a look. "Back then I relished the thought of him suffering but over the years I realized how petty and childish that was. I'm glad my brother has you and your family. I truly am."

"Thank you, I appreciate that and I know he would too."

"Would he? Like you said earlier he and I didn't part ways on good terms. He said he never wanted to see me again and I don't blame him. I ruined everything."

"That was a long time ago…"

"Never is a long time."

Stevie rubbed his eye tiredly and bowed his head a long minute before looking back up at Mercedes and saying, "He's never going to forgive me and he sure as hell not going to forget. If he knew I was talking to you right now he would be livid."

Mercedes didn't say anything but she silently agreed.

"It took me almost a month to approach you."

"What?" She asked incredulously as she stared at him with wide eyes, "you've been following me?"

"NO!" Stevie answered defensively, "I'm not some creep, I haven't been stalking you."

"But you just said—"

"I brought Sean here about a month ago and I saw you here with Lily. I wanted to come talk to you then but to be completely honest I was scared to. I remember beating myself up that night thinking I screwed up a once in a lifetime opportunity to make things right with you. I figured my chance had passed but then a few days later I brought Sean back and you were here again. At the time though you were here with another woman and her kid so I lost my nerve yet again. Hell, if Sean hadn't befriended Lily—"

"You'd still be lurking in the shadows?" Mercedes asked teasingly.

"Yeah, something like that." He chuckled.

"Wait, for the last couple of weeks every time I've seen Sean he's been with an older lady. Who's she?"

"Oh, that's Miss Mary. I work from home so a few days a week she helps me out by coming and taking Sean out to the park or zoo or something like that. She's been a lifesaver."

"You work from home? What do you do?"

"I'm a graphic artist. It's been something I've been interested in since college but it was pretty much a given that I would go into the family business so I lost focus. After everything with Quinn fell apart I finally had to stand on my own two feet. I still had the money Sam gave me when he dropped me from the company so I was secure which gave me the confidence to go after my dream without worrying about finances. It took awhile to establish myself doing freelance work but it's finally paying off. I just signed a deal to publish a graphic novel."

"Wow, that…that's amazing, Stevie. Congratulations."

"Thank you." He answered and his cheeks turned a light pink as he ducked his head.

"So back to this whole stalking-but-not-really thing how often did you see us here?"

"Three or four times maybe? I was in the process of getting the deal for the graphic novel so I was really busy at home which is why Miss Mary had Sean so much. He would come home and talk about Lily every time he came from the park so I knew you were still coming here regularly. I'd like to think that eventually I would have gathered up the courage to approach you on my own."

"Either way I'm glad it happened."

"Really?" Stevie asked in disbelief, "As much as my brother hates me I still thought you'd hate me ten times more."

"I don't hate you and neither does he."

"No offense, but I highly doubt that's true, I know my brother-"

"And I know my husband." She interrupted, "I have no doubt he is going to be pissed but I think with time he will come around. Aside from me and the kids you're the closest family he has left. He's mad at you and he has been for years but he doesn't hate you."

"I hope you're right but in case you're not and he wants nothing to do with me I'd really like if the kids still had a relationship. Sean shouldn't have to suffer for my bad and hurtful decisions."

"I want that too and even if I didn't I don't think you could pry those two apart with a crow bar. To be cousins it's so freaky how much they resemble each other, right?"

"They look like Mom," Stevie said wistfully as he watched the two children play, "It's subtle but I see my Mom in Sean every time I look at him."

"Sam says the same thing about Lily."

The two sat together for a moment longer before Mercedes rose from the bench and gave Stevie a timid smile, "Maybe we can do this again sometime…maybe Sam can join us."

"I would really love that."

"I'll see what I can do."

~~~~~~~CEO~~~~~~

A half an hour later Mercedes weighed her options as she watched her daughter bounce around the elevator on their way up to Sam's office. Her words to Stevie echoed in her head but she realized that her promise was easier said than done. She truly believed all the stuff she said to Stevie but at the same time she still wasn't 100% sure it would go smoothly. Just because she knew in her heart that Sam still loved and missed his brother didn't mean he would be willing to admit that. She only had a few months left in her pregnancy and the last thing she needed was added stress or discourse in her family. She still had every intention of telling Sam but maybe right now just wasn't the right time, the only problem with that is she didn't feel comfortable essentially sneaking around and meeting Stevie but at the same time she hated the idea of keeping the kids apart for several months. What in hell should she do?

The sharp ding from the elevator broke her train of thought and she busied herself ushering her bouncing toddler out of the elevator.

"JOE!" Lily screamed excitedly as she sprinted across the room to where Joe Hart was sitting at Mercedes' old desk.

"Hey, munchkin!" Joe said with a wide smile on his face as he dipped down in his seat to catch the toddler hurtling in his direction. "How's my favorite girl been?"

"Great!" Lily answered as she reached up and tugged sharply on one of Joe's dreads. The first time she had done that Mercedes had been mortified but before she could get on to her child Joe simply reached up and tugged on one of Lily's curls. They both stared at each other wide-eyed for a second before bursting into giggles and it had been their ritual every since. Now, Mercedes just watched in fond amusement as Joe grabbed one of Lily's curls and gave it a gentle tug.

"What are doing here, little one?" Joe asked as he lifted Lily and placed her on the desk.

"I'm here to see my Daddy."

"Do you have an appointment?" Joe asked with mock seriousness.

Lily glanced at Mercedes with a confused look on her face before shaking her head almost shamefully.

"I didn't know I had to," she answered in a soft pathetic voice that had Mercedes turning her face so she could hide her smile.

"Hmmm, let me see what I can do."

Joe pushed a button on the intercom next to Lily and said, "Mr. Evans you have two visitors here to see you."

"Really? Who is it?"

"It's me and Mommy!" Lily shouted into the intercom.

"Me and Mommy? I don't think I know anybody named Me and Mommy."

"Daaaaaaddddddyyyyy…." Lily whined with an over-exaggerated eye roll, "It's me and my Mommy."

"Hmm, still don't know who that is but I guess you can come in. Let 'em through Joe."

"It's your lucky day ladies," Joe said with a wag of his eyebrows, "the boss will see you now."

Lily held out her arms so that Joe could put her on the floor and with a quick hug and another tug at his dreads she ran towards Sam's office door. Once she got there she turned back to find that her mother hadn't moved from her spot.

"Go ahead baby I'm going to talk with Joe for a second."

Mercedes waited until her daughter expertly turned the knob and pushed the door open before turning her attention back to Joe.

"So how has everything been?"

"Great." He answered excitedly, "We're in final negotiations with that client that Mr. Evans has been after. I don't want to jump the gun but I think it's almost a 100% guarantee that we're going to get the account."

"That's wonderful!"

"So how have you been? You seem a little…distracted?"

Mercedes looked down at Joe in surprise, she hadn't realized she was that transparent. If Joe noticed something off with her there is no way she would be able to hide it from Sam.

"Um, I'm good…just a little tired."

"Do you need something to eat or drink? Maybe I can go find a pillow somewhere…"

"I'm fine, Joe.' She answered with a laugh, "Nothing a quick afternoon nap won't cure."

Joe visibly relaxed so Mercedes didn't feel so bad about her little white lie. This situation with Stevie and Sean wasn't going to be cured with just a nap but Joe didn't need to know that.

As she walked towards Sam's office she quickly made the decision that she was going to wait a few days to drop the bomb about Stevie. She figured that she could start throwing out little comments about Stevie to get Sam get comfortable talking about him again, even if it were in anger. She hoped that if she made it clear that she wasn't still angry about what Stevie had done to them all those years ago then maybe it would make him more receptive to the idea of meeting with him. It wasn't a perfect plan but when the alternatives were to just drop it on him or never mention and sneak behind his back this was the best option she had.

After her quick decision Mercedes felt a little bit better about going in front of Sam and not having her cover instantly blown. For the first time since her encounter with Stevie she felt in control of the situation. The feeling of peace died a short and fiery death seconds later as she opened the door to Sam's office and heard her daughter telling her father all about her day at the park.

"….And then Mommy and Sean's daddy sat together on a bench with all the flowers and talked for HOURS."

"Really? What'd they talk about?" Sam asked in a measured voice.

"I dunno. He and Mommy are friends though, he gave her a hug when we left and said he couldn't wait to see us again."

'Is that right?"

"Yep, I can't wait either. There are still lots and lots of flowers for me and Sean to pick. Sean is my best friend…I mean, he's my best boy friend and Aubrey is my best girl friend. Can he come over and play?"

"I don't know sweetie, I have to talk to your mother."

"But she already told Sean's daddy we would see them again. Please?"

Mercedes stood in shocked silence by the door as she listened to her daughter give her warped account of what happened at the park that day. She could tell by Sam's voice and his short answers that he wasn't pleased with what he was hearing so it appeared that her plan to ease him into the Stevie conversation was a no go.

Mercedes walked and gathered up a few crayons and pieces of paper that Sam had on a small coffee table for whenever Lily visited his office.

"Why don't you take these and go and ask Joe if he will help you draw a picture."

"Can I draw a picture of you, me, Sean, and his daddy?" Lily asked as she slid off Sam's lap and walked towards Mercedes.

"Sure baby, that sounds great."

"Good," Lily answered happily as she took the coloring materials and skipped out of the office.

Mercedes followed behind her daughter and shut the door. The lingering silence that followed the soft click was excruciating and she had counted ten slowly before turning around.

"It sounds like you had an interesting day at the park." Sam said coolly once she was finally facing him. "You want to tell me about your new friend?"

"Not if you're going to be an asshole about it." She answered bristling at his tone.

"How should I be when our daughter tells me you're hanging all over some other man?"

Mercedes' head snapped back as if he slapped her and she narrowed her eyes at him before spitting out, "First of all, I highly doubt she told you I was hanging all over somebody. Secondly, she's THREE years old Sam, she doesn't know what the hell she's talking about half the time. And third the man in question is your brother!"

Mercedes instantly regretted her outburst as she watched Sam's green widen and all of the blood seemed to drain from his face leaving a sickly pallor in its place.

"Wha…what did you just say?" Sam finally choked out.

"The man I was talking to in the park today was your brother…Stevie."

"Sean?"

"Is his son with Quinn. Lily has been playing with him all this time and we had no idea."

"Have you been meeting him all this time?" He asked as if he hadn't heard her last statement.

"NO! Sean almost always goes to the park with his nanny, this was the first time I saw Stevie."

Sam nodded his head in understanding but he didn't say anything else.

"He wants to see you."

"I don't care."

"Sam—"

"No! Do you not remember what he did to us? He put us both through hell and LAUGHED about it. He didn't give a shit about us then so I don't know what the hell he could have possibly told you to make you think you give a shit about him now."

"It's a long story—"

"Humph, I'm sure it was." Sam answered coldly as he roughly raked his hand through his hair, "don't fall for his sad story Mercedes, I'm sure whatever he told you was bullshit."

"I don't think so. If I honestly though Stevie was full of it I would be the last person to give him the time of day. Its just, he seems…different."

'He's playing you."

"Sam—"

"No!" He yelled again, "I'm done talking about it. I don't want to see him and I don't want him around my family."

"What about Sean?"

"What about him?" He barked.

Mercedes' eyes narrowed as she stared into Sam's cold gaze. She loved him dearly but he was so damn frustrating when he got like this.

"Look, just because you're unwilling to make an effort to reconnect with your brother doesn't mean our daughter has to suffer."

Mercedes—"

"NO!" It was her turn to yell, "If you don't want a relationship with your brother then fine, no one is going to force you but I'm not keeping those kids apart."

"I don't want Lilliana getting attached to Sean."

"Why not? He's family."

"He's Stevie's son."

"So what?"

"So being around Sean is going to inevitably lead to being around Stevie and I don't want that."

"Don't be ridiculous. We can make sure-"

"No!" Sam shouted as he hit his desk loudly with the palm of his hand, "and that's final."

Sam's words hung heavy in the room long after they had left his lips and the dull thud from his blow to the table seemed to reverberate all around them.

Sam POV

Oh. Shit.

Sam fought the urge to gulp loudly as he watched his wife's already murderous glare darken to something even deadlier. He hadn't meant to yell or slam his hand down on the desk but all this talk about Stevie just infuriated him. Experience should have taught them both by now that allowing Stevie in their lives was only going to lead to heartache down the road. Why didn't Mercedes get that?

"Look, babe," He started in an almost pleading tone, "I don't want this to cause problems between us—"

"Maybe you should have thought about that before you starting slapping tables and ordering me around."

"I wasn't ordering—"

"Save it."

He sighed loudly and pulled his hands roughly through his hair again.

"Mercedes, I'm sorry. I got upset and I wasn't thinking." He held his hands up in surrender, "don't let Stevie cause problems between us."

"You can't blame Stevie this time." She answered quietly before turning and heading towards the door.

"I thought we were supposed to be having lunch."

"I'm not hungry and it's almost Lily's nap time."

"You need to eat something—"

"Then I'll eat at home!" She snapped angrily, "Honestly Sam, I just don't want to be around you right now."

"Why? Because I'm not stupid enough to fall for Stevie's bullshit?"

"So, I'm stupid now?"

"Damn it, that's not what I meant."

"Then what do you mean? Because let's not forget I stupidly fell for Stevie's story so what does that say about me?"

"You're not stupid but Stevie is a manipulator and—"

"I was too dumb to figure out he was playing me?"

"No…it's just…you're a good person with a good heart and you might not recognize—"

"Oh my God," Mercedes said as she laughed harshly, "Are you really about to tell me now that I'm too good and naïve to recognize when somebody is full of shit? What's next?"

"Mercedes I think you're overreacting just a little bit."

"Oh really? Maybe I should start beating innocent pieces of furniture to show you what a real overreaction is."

The comment at the tip of Sam's tongue died on his lips as he realized that there was nothing he could possibly say in that moment that Mercedes would be willing to listen to. It pissed him off to no end that once again that Stevie managed to cause problems between him and Mercedes. He knew it was a bit irrational to blame his brother but frankly he didn't give a shit. He still hadn't forgiven him for what he had done to them all those years ago and there wasn't enough sad stories in the world that would make him change his mind. When he told Stevie that he wasn't his brother any longer he meant it with every fiber of his being. Too many things had been done and said for Sam to just forgive and forget. In time he hoped Mercedes would understand.

"I'm sorry about this, I really am." Sam said solemnly after a long moment of silence, "I love you but I can't back down…not on this."

"Well, that's a shame then." Mercedes answered in a tired, sad voice, "I thought you were better than that."

Sam ignored the sharp twinge in his gut at his wife's words and he fought to keep the hurt from his expression. Mercedes' opinion meant everything to him and knowing she was disappointed in him hurt a hell of lot more than he cared to admit.

No more words were exchanged and Sam stood in painful silence as he watched Mercedes walk out of the door. He heard Lily's tiny voice asking where he was and a few seconds later she came bounding into his office.

"Daddy, I thought we were eating with you?" She asked staring up at him with wide eyes, "Mommy says we have to go home right now."

"I think Mommy's tired sweetheart, we'll have lunch some other time, okay?"

"Okay…" Lily answered in a small voice.

Sam kneeled down and pulled his daughter into his arms and hugged her tightly to his chest.

"I love you Lily-bug."

"I love you too, Daddy," came her muffled response.

He pulled away slightly before peppering small kisses all over her face causing her to squirm and giggle loudly.

"Stop it Daddy," She screeched, "my face is all wet!"

"Okay, okay…" He said making a big production of wiping his wet kisses off her face, "is that better?"

"Yes," Lily answered after patting her now dry face, "all better."

"Good. Now, you go on home with Mommy and have a good lunch and I'll see you when I get home tonight, okay?"

"Okay. Ooooooh and I'm going to show you my picture that Joe helped me with."

"What is it?"

"Shhhhh Daddy it's a seecut"

"A secret?" He asked with a laugh.

"Yes, a seecut, but you can't see it until you come home."

"I can't wait."

Sam watched in amusement as his daughter skipped happily out of his office and he realized that he felt a lighter than he had five minutes ago. Lily exuded so much joy in everything she did that it was impossible to be in a bad mood after spending time with her. That lightness and joy were just two of the many things he loved about his child and he wanted to protect it with everything he had in him which is why he was even more determined to keep her away from Stevie. This decision was what was best for everyone, he truly believed that. He had to.

~~~~~~~CEO~~~~~~

Hours later the only sound in the dining room was the periodic clang of forks scraping the plates. Sam stared at his wife across the table from him and willed her to look at him but her gaze remained fixed on their daughter who had her very own little table and chair next to theirs.

"Baby, don't fling your lasagna noodle around like that, you're going to have sauce everywhere." Mercedes said breaking the silence.

"Sorry, Mommy."

"It's okay, just try and be careful. Do you want me to cut it up some more."

"No, keep it like this."

"Okay, eat up then."

Lily turned her attention back to her food and Mercedes continued watching her like a hawk while Sam went back to trying to will her to look at him.

Finally he couldn't take it any longer and decided to try and force Mercedes into some conversation. Even if she started yelling at him it would be better than the overwhelming silence.

"So how was lunch?"

Sam saw one of Mercedes eyebrows raise, but she didn't say a word.

"What did the two of you end up having?"

Nothing.

"Hot dogs, pizza, sandwiches…?"

Nothing.

"This lasagna is really good, I think this might be your best ever, Mercedes."

Nothing.

Sam tried to calm his frustration as he watched his wife pointedly ignore him. His glance slid over to his daughter and the confused expression on her face was almost comical. If he wasn't so pissed off he might find the fact that he was essentially talking to himself funny as hell but currently it only served to incense him even more.

"So how long do you plan on doing this?"

Nothing.

"It's a bit childish don't you think?" He asked angrily, "and all of this over Stevie? That's just stupi—"

"What? Stupid?" Mercedes asked coldly, "That seems like your new favorite word of the day."

"I wasn't referring to you and you know it. I just want you to talk to me, that's all. I hate fighting especially when it's over something as stu—pointless as this."

"It's not stupid, or pointless or anything like that. This is important but you're too damn bullheaded to see it!"

"Oooooh…Mommy used a bad word." Lily said quietly as she stared back and forth between her parents with wide eyes.

"I'm sorry baby, it won't happen again." Mercedes said contritely before quickly adding, "And don't you go repeating that."

"I won't…can I show Daddy my picture now?"

"I guess," Mercedes sighed before throwing her napkin on top of her plate and pushing her plate away disgustedly, "dinner is over anyway, I've lost my appetite." She said glaring pointedly as Sam.

"Yay!" Lily answered before sliding her small pink chair away from her princess table and scurrying out of the dining room in the direction of her bedroom.

"We can't do this forever." Sam started once Lily was out of the room, "I know you're pissed but frankly I don't deserve this."

"Excuse me?"

"I shouldn't have slammed my hand on the desk, I know that and I apologize but I'm not going to apologize about how I feel or what I decide to do when it comes to my brother. If the situation were reversed I wouldn't force to you have some relationship with your dirty, lying asshole of a brother."

"If the situation were reversed, you wouldn't have to."

"Oh, really?"

"Yes, really!"

"Are you choosing to forget what Stevie did to us or do you just not care anymore?"

"Of course I still care but if I never forgave, forgot and moved on I wouldn't be with you right now and if you were like that you wouldn't be with me."

"I—"

"Let me finish. What Stevie did to us was low and malicious and it could have ruined our lives but it didn't."

"But—"

"But nothing. Trust me I know all about what Stevie is capable of. I know what he did to me, I know what he said to and about me, I know how he reveled in the fact that he crushed both of us. I know it. I know it all but I forgive him anyway."

"Why?"

"Because hanging on to that anger and hatred wasn't hurting anybody but me. I want to be happy in my life and free of grudges and old hurts and the only way to do that is to forgive those who did me wrong, forget and move the hell on. I am happy, so, so happy because I have been able to do that. I had to do it with you, with my Dad, and now I'm doing it with Stevie too."

"What if I can't? What…what if I don't want to? He could have taken everything from me, Mercedes. If he had it his way I would have lost EVERYTHING that matters the most to me, how can I forgive that?"

"Because," She answered as she got up from her seat and came and stood at his side, "you didn't lose anything. Stevie tried but he failed, and no matter how much he changes he will always have to live with that. We don't so let it go. I don't expect you and Stevie to be thick as thieves tomorrow but I do think he's changed and I do think if you give him half a chance you would see that. That's all I wanted was for you to give it a chance and just see in him what I did. If you don't think a change is there and you want to walk away and never look back then I'll walk away with you. Just give it a chance, please?"

Sam picked up Mercedes' hand from the table and intertwined her fingers with his own. Her words made sense but even still he still had his self-installed 'Stevie Alert' that was currently going wild in his head. There was no one on Earth he trusted more than Mercedes but even still he had his reservations. He had no doubt that his family was solid as a rock but even the strongest rock can develop cracks and shatter if it's tossed up against an unyielding element long enough. If Stevie hasn't change and he was still the manipulative, malicious, lazy, selfish boy toy that he was all those years ago then Sam could be allowing an element into his and his family's life that can wreck them somewhere down the line. Or Mercedes could be right and Stevie may be the different, more mature man that she thought he was and he and Sean could be welcome additions to the family. The question is was Sam really interested in taking that risk to find out?

He looked up at his wife's pleading eyes and he realized that yes, he was. If it made her happy he would do it, simple as that.

"Daddy?"

Sam tore his gaze from Mercedes and looked down as his side to find Lily staring up at him expectedly.

"What is it honey?"

"Here's my picture!" She announced proudly before shoving a coloring in his hands. On the piece of paper was a carefully drawn grassy hill that was scribbled in with various shades of green. In one corner was an array of different colors that Sam assumed were supposed to be flowers and in the top were a bright sun and perfectly drawn clouds that he deducted where Joe's handiwork. In the middle of the picture stood five figures: A brown stick woman with an almost comically large circle representing a pregnant belly, two small children—one a light brown girl with riotous curls and one a small boy with a shock of yellow hair and two tall men that were almost identical.

"Who is this, baby?" Sam asked even though he already knew the answer.

"That's Mommy and the baby, that's me and my boy best friend Sean and there's you and Sean's Daddy. You kinda look like him." Lily said in a confused voice before shrugging her shoulders dismissively.

"That's a really nice picture sweetheart."

"Thank you! Can I go put it on my wall? Mommy will you help me?"

"Sure baby, let's go."

Lily practically yanked the picture out of Sam's hands before sprinting out of the dining room.

"SLOW DOWN LILIANA!" Sam and Mercedes both yelled simultaneously.

"She's really excited about having Sean in her life." Mercedes said once they heard Lily's quick footsteps slow to a walk.

"I can tell." Sam sighed as he rubbed his hand over his face, "I'm going to get in touch with him."

"I was hoping you were going to say that," Mercedes said with a smile as she walked back to her seat and grabbed her phone from beside her plate. She scrolled through some numbers as she walked back to his side and once she found the one she was looking for she placed the phone in his hand.

"Call your brother."

Sam looked down at the phone and stared at his brother's name. He felt Mercedes lips pressed against his forehead and he closed his eyes as he heard her whisper, "it's going to be okay."

She made a move to walk away but Sam grasped her wrist and stopped her.

"I'm sorry about earlier."

"I know. I'm sorry too."

He tugged her down and kissed her gently on the lips, he made a move to deepen it by they were interrupted by their daughter's shrill voice calling for Mercedes.

"Mmmmm….we'll finish this later." Mercedes murmured against his lips before making her way out of the dining room.

Once she was gone Sam glanced back down at the phone and stared at the screen. There was still that stubborn part of him that refused to reach out to Stevie but his love for his wife and daughter overshadowed any trepidation he was feeling.

After five minutes of stalling Sam finally decided to take the plunge. He took a deep breath and pushed the call button and put the phone to his ear and waited. Seconds later a loud ringing sound filled his ear and he held his breath as the loud clanging noise rang three times. By the fourth ring Sam had lost his nerve and was pulling the phone away to hang up but he was stopped short by a deep voice he barely recognized saying, "Hello?"

Sam froze and he felt as if his tongue was glued to the top of his mouth. He opened his mouth to speak but no sound came out.

"Hello? Is anybody there?" Said the voice from the phone.

Sam closed his eyes and took a deep breath but still no words came.

"Mercedes, is that you?"

Hearing his wife's voice seemed to knock Sam out of the haze he was currently in and he cleared his voice loudly and said, "Hello."

"Um, hi…who is this?"

"Stevie?"

"Yeah that's me, who is this?" He asked but it was clear from the change in his voice he knew exactly who it was.

"It's me…Sam. We need to talk."


	36. Brotherly Love

"He's late."

"By two whole minutes. Sam, honey, you need to calm down."

"I am calm." He huffed and sat back in his chair with his arms crossed petulantly.

"Uncross your arms and stop acting like a baby."

Sam stared at the black telephone in front of him incredulously and sputtered out, "how-how did you…?"

"Baby, I know you and I know you're freaking out about this meeting and you don't want to admit it so you are working yourself up. It will be fine."

Sam sighed heavily and uncrossed his arms so he could run his hand roughly over his face. It had been a little over a week since he had contacted Stevie and they were just now meeting face to face. Over the past few days he had mentally backed out of their reunion more times then he could count. He knew that Stevie and Mercedes had eased into some easy, stress-free relationship and had even met up at the park a few more times but he didn't think that he would be able to fall into that type of relationship with his brother. He could admit that talking on the phone with Stevie for the few minutes that he did was nice but he didn't know how he would handle seeing him face to face after all these years. So much had happened and had been said that Sam simply didn't know if he could move past it.

"Sam….Sam….SAM!"

"What?" Sam shouted as his wife's voice scared him out of his daydream.

"Are you okay?"

"What…no…yeah…yes. Yes! I'm fine." Sam answered as he grimaced internally at how uncertain he sounded.

"Do you want me to come to the office? Maybe I can run interference—"

"No, we'll be fine. I just want to get this over with once and for all."

"Once and for all? You don't sound too positive about this reunion."

"I said I would try Mercedes," Sam sighed, "but I'm not promising anything beyond that."

"Okay…." Mercedes answered with a sigh of her own, "I just want things to be okay between you and Stevie."

"Things between me and my brother are going to be what they're going to be."

"Fair enough."

The two sat in silence for a moment longer lost in their own thoughts but soon they were interrupted by an incoming beep alerting Sam that someone was trying to reach him on another line.

"Hang on a second baby, I gotta get this." Sam told Mercedes before clicking over to the other line.

"Yes?"

"Mr. Evans, your brother is here to see you."

"Thank you Joe. Give me a second to say goodbye to Mercedes and then send him in."

"Will do, sir."

Sam felt his hands start to sweat as he pressed the button to connect back with Mercedes.

"He's here." Sam said in a tight voice.

"Okay…that's good, this is a good thing, remember that Sam. Everything will be fine."

"I know it will," Sam answered, more to himself than to Mercedes.

"I'm so proud of you. I know you don't see this now but I have no doubt that before it's all said and done it will be like a weight lifted off your shoulders."

"I hope so."

"I'm going to hang up now but I want you to call me the second the two of you are done, okay?"

"Okay?"

"I love you."

"Love you too, Mercy. Give Lily a kiss for me."

"I always do."

Sam smiled at Mercedes jaunty response and disconnected their call. He took one last deep breath just as heard three sharp knocks on his door.

"Come in." He called out as he steeled himself for the coming confrontation with his brother.

The man that walked through the door wasn't much unlike the man Sam knew all those years ago and yet he still seemed completely different.

The three years had matured Stevie in ways that surprised Sam greatly. His closely shaven head changed his appearance drastically from the way Sam remembered him and the starched button down and crisp blue jeans were something the 'old' Stevie wouldn't be caught dead in.

The air in the room seemed to almost vibrate and become heavy with tension as the two men stared at each other. Years of unspoken thoughts, heated words, shared pain, and unconscious hatred enveloped them like a bubble and permeated all around them.

"Hi, Sam." Stevie finally croaked out almost apologetically breaking the heavy tension in the room.

"Hi." Sam answered curtly before waving his hands to the two chairs he sat out in the middle of his office facing each other. "Why don't you have a seat?"

Stevie looked slightly taken aback by Sam's gruff tone but he didn't say anything and made his way to his seat quietly. Sam down across from him and instantly regretted the set-up. He had been adamant about sitting behind his desk and letting Stevie take one of the empty seats across from him but Mercedes quickly vetoed that idea saying it would be rude and stand-offish. He wanted to tell her that was kind of the point but he knew she wouldn't take it well.

"So…how have you been?" Stevie asked, once again taking it upon himself to break the silence.

"I've been good. And you?"

"Good…tired, Sean can be a handful sometimes."

Sam softened momentarily at the thought of his nephew. If he could think of one positive from this whole thing with his brother it would be starting a relationship with Sean. Lily absolutely adored him and after each and every one of their play dates she came home gushing about her cousin. Mercedes would take a new picture of him every time they would meet at the park to show Sam and once he even got to talk briefly. The kid was as smart as a whip and impossible not to like so if nothing else Sam couldn't wait until he got a chance to meet him formally—if he got the chance.

"Yeah, I know what you mean, Lily is getting to the point where she is practically scaling the walls because she has so much energy."

"She's beautiful," Stevie responded, "it's crazy how much she resembles Mom."

"Yeah, I know." Sam answered quietly as he rubbed the back of his neck, "it hurts so much sometimes how much she reminds me of Mom."

The two men got quiet again lost in their own thoughts. Bringing up their mother was like pushing a big red panic button. The brothers had always had some type of issue growing up but the thing that fractured them the most was their respective relationships with their mother.

"So how do you want to do this?" Sam finally asked in a voice snappier than he intended, "I told Mercedes I would try and—"

Stevie bristled at Sam's tone and responded in an irritated tone of his own, "If you don't want to do this then don't do it. I'll tell Mercedes you gave it the old college try but it wasn't meant to be."

"I don't need you to lie to my wife for me."

"And I don't need you to bullshit your way through this meeting just so you can get your wife off your back!" Stevie yelled as he sat back in his seat with a huff. "If you don't want to do it then don't do it, period. I'll go my way and you'll go yours, we haven't had a relationship in three years—"

"And whose fault is that? Don't come in here and try and make me out to be the bad guy. Don't forget why we're in this situation right now."

"Oh believe me I won't forget and I know you'll make damn sure I never get the chance to."

"Why should I?" Sam growled, "Do you have any idea what you caused? Do you even care? I could have lost my family and it was nothing but a fucking joke to you. You laughed in my fucking face and had the nerve to tell me I deserved it. Now you want to sit here and get an attitude with me because I'm not falling all over myself to reconnect with you? Fuck you Stevie!"

Sam sat back violently and tried to control his harsh breathing. He didn't mean to blow up like that but he had been holding on to all of that anger towards Stevie since the day he found out Mercedes had left him. He had long forgiven her but the pent up anger from all those years ago was still there and now it was all directed at Stevie.

"Obviously a simple sorry isn't going to cut it." Stevie started carefully.

"Obviously." Sam snapped back.

"Look, I'm trying! Do you know how hard it is for me to be here right now?"

"What the fuck makes you think I care about how hard it is for you?"

Stevie blew out a loud breath and dropped his head, "I told Mercedes this wasn't going to work."

"Excuse me?" Sam asked in a low voice as he felt his blood start to boil, "what the fuck did you just say about my wife?"

"I said," Stevie responded loudly, "that I told her this wasn't going to work. She has more faith in your ability to forgive than I do. I guess even after all this time I still know you better than she does."

Sam stood up and kicked his chair back slightly before walking towards his desk. He leaned heavily against and looked up to meet his brother's accusatory gaze.

"I know you hate me Sam—"

"I don't hate you." Sam interrupted wearily even though he wasn't exactly sure he believed that himself.

"Yes you do, I won't say you always have because I don't feel that way anymore but after the stuff with Quinn and Mercedes let's be honest…you hate me."

"Fine." Sam admitted after a long pause, "Maybe I do…"

A heavy silence fell over the room and the two men sat quietly in the tension filled room.

"This was a bad idea," Stevie said quietly, mostly to himself. "This was such a bad idea."

Sam brought his hands up and started rubbing his fingertips against his temples. He wanted to reassure his brother that it was not a bad idea but he couldn't form the words. So, he did the next best thing, he told the truth.

"I'm doing this for Mercedes, she wants this and I want her to be happy. I'd do anything in the world for her."

"Even suffer through a meeting with your biggest enemy."

"You're not my enemy Stevie. I'll admit I don't know if I'll ever truly trust you again, but you're not my enemy…you're family, regardless to whether I want you to be or not."

"Um, thanks…I guess."

"Look, let's just call it what it is. I'm not trying to be hateful but…fuck Stevie, you could have ruined everything!"

"I know that Sam."

"Do you really? Do you honestly get it? If I didn't have my family right now I don't know what kind of man I would be."

"I get it. I didn't get it back then but I get it now, I feel the same way about my son."

"Good, then you understand why I'm not ready to hold hands and start singing Kumbaya."

"Then what in the hell are you ready to do? I came here to apologize and make things right but if you're going to be a stubborn ass about this then nothing is going to get accomplished."

"A stubborn ass? You have a lot of fucking nerve coming into MY office after everything you've done and calling me names."

"If the shoe fits…"

"Fuck you, Stevie."

Sam's yelled response seemed to reverberate around the room as both men glared at each other. As far as Sam was concerned this meeting was over. He had nothing more to say to Stevie and he didn't give a damn what his brother had to say to him. It was over.

Sam turned his back and he heard Stevie rise from the chair.

"Could you at least do me one favor?"

"What, Stevie?" Sam asked without turning around.

"Could you talk with Mercedes and work out some kind of schedule so that the kids can see each other? Clearly our relationship can't be fixed but it shouldn't affect the kids…at least not now anyway."

"I'll talk to her."

"Thanks. I…goodbye Sam."

"Goodbye Stevie."

"So exactly how long are you going to be mad?"

"I'm not mad," Mercedes snapped her sharp tone contradicting her words.

"It's been almost two weeks and I swear you've only said a handful of words to me. Obviously you're mad."

"I'm not—"

"Don't lie."

"Fine, I'm upset but I'll get over it."

"When?"

"When I feel like it!"

Mercedes snapped her mouth close and looked guiltily down at the two children furiously coloring in their coloring books. They both looked up at her in shock at her loud tone before sharing a glance with each other. For two tiny people their expressions spoke volumes but neither said a word as they went back to their coloring books.

Sam grabbed Mercedes' hand and pulled her outside of their daughter's play room. He shut the door until all that was left was a tiny bit of light shining through the crack and then he turned his attention back to his disgruntled wife.

"Alright, let me have it."

"Have what?"

"Mercedes…I know you're still pissed that I couldn't work things out with Stevie."

She glared at him warily but she didn't say a word.

"Baby I told you I was sorry a million times and I did try—"

"Really? Did you really try?"

"Ye…yes. I really tried."

"Liar." She snapped, "That's why I'm pissed at you because you're lying right to my face! You forget Sam that I know you and I know when you're being dishonest. If you and Stevie couldn't work through your issues, fine, but don't feed me some bull about how hard you tried when it obvious that you didn't."

"What did he tell you?" Sam asked in a low voice and he felt his blood start to boil, "did he tell you that I didn't try?"

"Stevie hasn't told me anything! I saw him briefly one time and that's when he dropped Sean off last week for the play date. The rest of the time he's sent the nanny to pick up and drop off Sean. Besides all of that he didn't have to tell me anything. You've been acting weird ever since your meeting with him and it's nothing but guilt causing it."

"I don't feel guilty." Sam barked out angrily, "I don't have to feel guilty for not wanting a relationship with the bastard that almost ruined my life—brother, or not."

"Fine, then why didn't you just say that instead of lying?"

"Because you forget I know you too. You can say you would be fine with me and Stevie not working it out all you want but I know better. Your intentions were good and I respect that but you were pushing for something that was better left alone. I met with Stevie to make YOU happy, not because I really wanted to do it."

Mercedes rolled her eyes but she didn't say anything and Sam knew that he hit a nerve.

"Look, I tried, okay? But some things are just better left alone."

"Fine. Whatever." Mercedes snapped before turning sharply and heading back towards the play room. Sam grabbed her arm gently and tugged her back until she was pressed against his chest.

"I don't like it when you're mad at me," he whispered into her hair, "I don't want to fight with you anymore about Stevie."

Mercedes held her body rigid against Sam's but before long his soft, pleading voice had her relaxing against him.

"I don't want to be upset about this any more either." She said quietly as she turned in his arms, "it's just you don't have much family and I hate the idea of you losing someone else in your life."

"Mercy, you and our kids are all the family that I need." Sam answered honestly, "I don't feel like my life is missing something just because Stevie isn't in it. I know that sounds bad, but it's the truth."

Mercedes rested her forehead against his chest for a long minute before lifting his head and meeting his gaze. She searched his face for a long moment before finally nodding her head and saying, "Okay, fair enough. I'm sorry I pushed and acted like a bitch when things didn't go the way I thought they should. Can I blame it on the pregnancy hormones?"

Sam laughed before dropping a kiss on her lips, "You know you can only use that excuse for a few more weeks, right?"

"Exactly that's why I should get all of the mileage out of it that I can." She responded as she smiled up at him.

Sam bent his head to give her another kiss but his descent was interrupted when he felt a little hand tugging on his pant leg.

"What's up munchkin?"

"Daddy, can me and Sean have some juice and cookies? Please?"

Sam felt his heart clench as he looked down at his daughter's wide hazel eyes but the snort that came from Mercedes signaled that she wasn't as caught up in Lily's plea as he was.

"Um, no ma'am you may not." Mercedes responded before he could say anything. "Lunch is in less than half an hour and if you two eat cookies now then you'll ruin your appetite."

"Can we have cookies after lunch?"

"Yes, but only if you eat your veggies, ok?"

"Ok, Mommy."

Lily shot one last pleading glance at Sam but he just shook his head slightly while trying to hide his grin. Lily had him wrapped around her little finger and she knew it so it was always funny to see the frustration on her little face when she realized her plans were thwarted by Mercedes.

A slight nudging against Sam's palm had him turning his attention to his hand which was placed on Mercedes burgeoning belly.

"Woah! I felt a kick!"

"Sam, this is like the millionth time you've felt him moved." Mercedes answered with a laugh as she rubbed her hand over his. "He moves all the time."

"I know," he replied somewhat sheepishly, "but it amazes me every time."

"Awwww," Mercedes cooed softly as she smiled gently up at him. "You can be really sweet sometimes, you know that?"

"Well, I try." He answered smugly before giving out a yelp when Mercedes punched him lightly on the chest. He tugged her into her arms and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "I miss being like this with you. No more fighting okay?"

"Okay," Mercedes mumbled against his chest.

They two stayed like that gently rocking before Mercedes jerked back suddenly and let out a small groan.

"What is it?" Sam asked frantically as he felt his hands get instantly clammy. "Is it the baby? Do we need to go to the hospital?"

"Sam, calm down there is nothing wrong. The baby turned or something and he's pressing on my bladder and I need to go to the bathroom NOW."

"Oh!" Sam said as Mercedes slid out of his grasp.

"Do me a favor and check on the kids," She said as she turned and started waddling down the hallway towards the bathroom.

"Yeah…ok," Sam said lamely to her retreating back before turning to enter the playroom. He reached and grabbed the doorknob but he paused to listen before opening the door when he heard Sean say his name.

"Uncle Sam doesn't like me."

"My daddy likes everybody."

"But he doesn't like me. I don't think he likes my dad either…I don't think he wants me here. Do you think he will make me stop coming?"

Sam's hand slipped off the doorknob as he Sean's sad voice bounced around in his head. Had he really be that distant from his nephew? The one good thing that came out of this whole mess with his brother was that little boy and he hated to think that Sean thought he disliked him. No matter what Stevie had done in the past it would never negate the fact that he raised a great little boy and even Sam could admit that. Sam never felt any animosity or displeasure at having Sean around but it was clear that the grudge he was holding against Stevie was more far reaching than he thought.

"Hey…"

Mercedes soft voice pulled Sam out of her reverie and he turned to find her staring up at him curiously.

"Are you okay? I just go back from the bathroom and found you staring at the door. Have you been out here this entire time?" She asked in confusion.

"Sean thinks I don't like him." Sam answered and he watched as a series of emotions flitted across her face before she looked away guiltily.

"Um…yeah, he mentioned something like that to me last week."

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"Because I wasn't too sure of what the answer would be!" Mercedes answered in a loud whisper.

"You think I don't like my nephew?" Sam asked in a hurt-tinged voice, "he's my family…how could you think that?"

"Because Stevie is your family. That's why."

"Oh God, are we really back on that?"

"Look, of course I don't think that consciously you dislike Sean but you are a bit…stand-offish."

"No, I'm not! I always talk to him when he—"

"You barely say two words to him," Mercedes interrupted, "three if you're feeling talkative. You're not mean to him, not by a long shot, but you aren't exactly welcoming either. Sean isn't stupid Sam, so between that and the fact that you and his father avoid each other like the plague it isn't exactly strange that he would draw the conclusion that you don't like him."

"What goes on between me and Stevie has nothing to do with Sean." Sam answered defensively.

"Do you really think so? He's just a small kid and already he's very aware of the tension between you and his father and it affects his relationship with you. What do you think is going to happen when he gets older? What's going to happen when he becomes very conscious of the fact that he's making a choice between you and his father?"

"I'm not asking him to make a choice."

"No, but he's doing it anyway. The two of you at odds is putting Sean and Lily in an awkward position. She's still oblivious to it, but he isn't. How are you going to feel if she wants to go over to Sean's and have a play date? Will you be okay with her spending time with your brother?"

"I…I don't know Mercedes."

"Well then you're making them make a choice. A point in time is going to come when they are both very aware of the fact that their fathers can't be around each other. That for some reason they hate each other and those kids are going to want to know why. Are either one of you going to be willing to tell them?"

"It's not important."

"It is important! Look, I said I was backing off the whole you and Stevie thing and I am but I still think it's important that you recognize the repercussions of your decision.

That in there," she continued as she pointed to the play room, "is happening on borrowed time. Both of those children love their fathers dearly and when push comes to shove they will choose them…not each other. They will forgo whatever relationship they develop because it will be too damn hard to continue knowing that their fathers are at odds."

"What do you want me to do Mercedes?" Sam asked warily.

"Whatever you want to do. We said no more fighting about Stevie, so no more fighting. I can't tell you what to do and I don't want to, not anymore. You've got a good heart Sam and whatever you choose to do I'll support you, okay?"

"Okay." Sam answered as he gathered Mercedes in his arms and hugged her tightly to his chest. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." She responded before giving him one last squeeze and stepping out of his embrace. "Let's go check on this kids, I'm sure they're starving by now."

"Yeah…give me one second. I'll meet you in there."

"Ok." Mercedes gave him one last long look before turning and walking into the play room. He bit back a smile when he heard his daughter's over dramatic, exclamation of "Mommy we're soooooooooooooooo hungry!"

He pulled the door of the play room shut and walked down the hallway until he got to the master bedroom. He went inside and pulled the cell phone out of his back pocket before sitting on the edge of the bed. He took a deep breath before going to the call log and scrolling back and back and back until he got to a number that he had dialed over two weeks ago. He stared at the contact name for a long time before finally tapping the number to make the call.

The phone rang three times before a slightly gruff and familiar voice came over the line.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Stevie."

"Sam, what is it? Is Sean okay?"

"Sean is fine, he's not the reason I called…well, not really."

"What does that mean, not really?"

"He said today that he didn't think I liked him—"

"I haven't said anything negative to him about you." Stevie interrupted.

"I didn't think that you did. Look, I'm not calling to accuse you of anything but I see that our strained relationship is affecting our kids already and I want to try and fix it, for their sake."

"So, what are you trying to say?"

"I'm saying that maybe we should try and talk again."

"I thought we said all we had to say the last time."

Sam ignored the spurt of annoyance that rose up in him at Stevie's words and he gritted his teeth and tried again. "Yeah, we—mostly me, got out a lot of pent of anger so maybe this time cooler heads can prevail and we can actually have a conversation. Hell, I think we can at least give it a shot."

There was a long beat of silence before Stevie finally said, "Yeah, I think we can."

"How does next Thursday at 4 sound?"

"Sounds like a plan."

The day of Sam and Stevie's second meeting was a bright and sunny day which was in direct contrast to the cold and gloomy day that occurred on their previous meeting. If Sam believed in that kind of stuff he would have considered it a good omen. He had kept this second meeting from Mercedes because even though he had a better outlook going in to this one he didn't want her to get her hopes up again only to be disappointed if it didn't work out. She was currently at the house with both kids but she was under the impression that both Sam and Stevie were working.

As the clock on his wall creeped closer to 4 o' clock the gravity of this meeting with his brother started to settle in and he realized what he was possibly risking if things with south again. He loved his nephew and he wanted a relationship with him but he knew that Mercedes was right and if he couldn't work things out with Stevie then that relationship would disintegrate over time.

"Mr. Evans, your brother is here to see you." Joe's deep voice over the intercom brought Sam out of his thoughts and he got up from his desk and walked across his office to open his door. The two men on the other side stared at him in surprise but all he did was give them a wide smile before saying, "Come on in Stevie."

Stevie shared a look with Joe but didn't say a word before heading into Sam's office.

Sam looked back at his assistant and said, "Thanks Joe, I don't need anything else here so you're free to go home."

After dismissing his assistant Sam closed the door of his office and found Stevie standing uncomfortably in front of his desk.

"Have a seat," Sam said as he motioned to the couch in the corner.

Stevie gave him a look but he got settled on one end and Sam sat on the other.

Several seconds ticked by before Sam took a deep breath and said, "I'm don't want his anymore."

"Want what?"

"The bitterness, the anger, the hatred…I don't want it anymore. I thought I did, I was more than content to hate you for something that you did to me years ago. I relished the idea of making you suffer for almost ruining my life. When all this went down I SWORE on our parent's graves that I would never, ever forgive you and I meant every last word of it. If I was the man that I used to be I wouldn't spit on you if you were on fire."

"This is great talk." Stevie interrupted dryly.

"Let me finish." Sam said with a small laugh, "if I were the man I used to be I wouldn't have been capable of forgiving you. The person I used to be couldn't love someone like Mercedes, didn't deserve someone like her, so I know I'm not that same person. I HATED you for what you did, but I don't hate you anymore. I don't know if I'll ever be able to forget but…I forgive you Stevie."

Once the words left Sam's mouth he felt as if a 1000 pound weight was lifted off his shoulders. He had been weighed down by those negative feelings towards Stevie for so long that he didn't even realize the unnecessary burden he was carrying around.

As he looked over at his younger brother he steeled himself in preparation of having all of those words thrown right back in his face. Just because he was a changed man didn't mean Stevie was.

After what seemed like an eternity Stevie finally broke the silence with a simple, "Thank you."

The two brothers looked at each other for a long moment before wide almost identical grins broke out in their faces.

"Thank you," Stevie repeated, "That means more to me then you'll ever know. I can't change the past but please know that I genuinely regret it. We haven't always seen eye to eye and probably never will but besides my son you're all the family I've got. I don't want to lose you."

"Me either." Sam answered truthfully.

The two men sat in a companionable silence before Stevie started chuckling beside him.

"What?" Sam asked as he watched his brother's low chuckles turn into a full-blown laugh.

"I was just thinking about which one of us is going to have to tell Mercedes she was right along."

"Why don't we both go do it?"

About a half an hour later the two men were standing in Sam's living room looking in disbelief at the array of toys scattered everywhere.

"What in the hell?" Sam asked out loud as he barely missed stepping on a Doc McStuffin doll.

"I didn't realize we had such violent tornadoes in NYC." Stevie joked but Sam wasn't laughing.

"Something isn't right, Mercedes never lets the kids play with their toys in the living room."

Sam tried to tamp down the panic rising as he took the stairs two at a time to the second floor with Stevie right on his heels.

He made his way to Lily's bedroom and he breathed a sigh of relief when he found the kids asleep on either ends of the bed with a pile of toys in between them.

He turned and brushed past Stevie before headed towards the master bedroom. He reached to grab the doorknob but he was brought up short when the door swung open and revealed an ashen faced Mercedes.

"Baby, are you okay?" Sam asked worriedly as he took in Mercedes' appearance. Her hair was pulled up in a messy bun and she had a faint sheen of sweat covering her face. Her voluptuous lips were pulled in so tight that they almost formed a straight line and her face had an overall grey tone to it.

"I'm…oh, hey Stevie." She said faintly as her brother-in-law came in to view.

He smiled timidly at her before repeating Sam and asking if she was okay.

It was clear she was in pain but at the moment Mercedes was more worried about finding out why Sam and Stevie were in the same place at the same time without tearing each other's head's off.

"What's going on?"

"We had a talk. We worked everything out. You were right. The end." Sam answered roughly as he tried to keep from freaking out and scaring her. "Pardon my French Mercy but what the fuck is going on?"

"I'm….I….ahhhhhh…." Mercedes suddenly clenched her stomach tightly and bent over in pain. A cord hung from her hand and that's when Sam realized that she was holding a stop watch.

He reached over and gathered his wife in his arms and he held her as she panted. After what seemed like forever she straightened back up again slowly and pushed a button on the stop watch. She read the numbers on the small screen before closing her eyes tightly.

"Shit, I'm in labor."


	37. Perfection

"Something's wrong…we've got to get that baby out now…too much blood….she's losing too much blood!"

"What's wrong with my family?"

"Mr. Evans you can't be in here, we need you to leave NOW!"

"Not without my wife and our son…what's wrong with them?"

"We're sorry Mr. Evans we tried everything we could…"

"No…no…no…no…"

"…There was just too much blood…we lost them both…"

"No…no…no…no…"

"Mr. Evans…you should go home and check on your daughter before you lose her too…"

"No…no…no…no…"

"Mr. Evans it's over…they're all gone…"

"Mr. Evans? Mr. Evans? Mr. Sam…Sam…SAM!"

Sam jerked awake violently and took in his surroundings. His already rapidly beating heart started to thumb even harder as he recognized the hospital room from his dreams. Only this time there wasn't a growing crowd of blood-stained nurses with grotesque faces gleefully telling him that his family was gone. Now the only other person in the room was his very much alive and still very much pregnant wife. Her brown eyes scanned his form worriedly and she held out her hand for him to join her on the bed.

"What was it about this time?" She asked without preamble as she stroked her fingers over the palm of his hand.

"I don't want to talk about it," He answered quietly. "I just want to forget it."

"Sam, you're pale and you're shaking like a leaf, whatever it is scared the hell out of you and you're not just going to forget it. You haven't had nightmares like that for years. Is it about the baby?"

Sam said nothing but tears welled in his eyes and he bowed his head.

"Oh baby…" Mercedes whispered against his hair. "Everything is going to be okay."

"It wasn't last time." He answered gruffly before pulling away and standing up. "I brought you here to this same damn hospital and you and Lily almost died."

"Babe, that wasn't a normal occurrence. What happened was just…it was bad luck."

"Bad luck?" He asked incredulously. "If you would have died it would have just been bad luck?"

"You know what I mean Sa-aaaahhh…." Mercedes gripped her stomach and closed her eyes tightly as she breathed through another contraction.

Sam rushed forward to his wife's side, all thoughts of his nightmare gone, and he rubbed soothing hands on her lower back. She leaned her head against his shoulder gratefully and they stayed like that until he felt her body start to relax.

"Son of a bitch, those are starting to get bad." Mercedes said jokingly but Sam could tell she was in pain.

"Are you ready for your epidural?"

"I was ready about four hours ago but I still don't think I'm dilated enough for it."

Mercedes was rapidly approaching her tenth hour of labor and she was exhausted and Sam wasn't in much better shape. Mercedes kept pushing him to take a short nap because according to her once the baby came it would be best if at least one of his parents wasn't deliriously exhausted. To his credit Sam did try but the visions of Mercedes' still form and a quiet baby with a blanket over his tiny body wouldn't allow his mind to rest. Until he had his entire family at home and safe he knew he would not sleep a wink.

"Do you want me to get Dr. Holly or a nurse to come check you again?"

"No, I want you to tell me what you were dreaming about."

"You're in pain! We need to focus on that instead of some stupid dream I had."

"I'm in labor, there's going to be pain. I much rather have a normal, painful birth than…" Mercedes averted her gaze as her words trailed off.

At her words the image of nurses with hands that had his family's blood stained on them flashed across his mind. He shut his eyes tightly and clenched his teeth as if he was in physical pain.

"You haven't had dreams about Lily's birth since she was over a year old. You haven't had them since I found out I was pregnant, so why now?"

"I don't know…" Sam answered quietly. "I don't know if it's this place or what. I haven't been worried at all this entire time, but now…every time I close my eyes I see you dying over and over and over again."

"Sam…"

"I try and save you…I try to help but these nurses they keep holding me back."

"Baby…"

"There is blood everywhere and they keep screaming over and over again that they're losing you. I can't save you…." Sam gasps out the last part as he drops his head and his hands. "I can't save you."

The steady, reassuring beeping of the machines next to Mercedes are the only sounds in the room and it's like a lifeline for Sam.

"Come here." Mercedes says quietly after several minutes of silence but he didn't move. "Sam, come here." She says more forcefully but he still couldn't make himself move. He cursed himself silently for being a coward but he never knew how paralyzing fear, real or imagined, could truly be until that moment.

"The days leading up to Lily's birth I knew something was off. I couldn't quite put my finger on it but I just didn't feel right. Working in an OB-GYN's office you see too often women that are just miserable their last few weeks of pregnancy. They hurt, they're swollen all over, they can't sleep…the works. When I started feeling 'off' that's what I chalked it up as. I was almost at the end of the pregnancy so obviously it was nothing and it was to be expected, right?"

"You couldn't have known what was coming Mercedes."

"But you could?"

"No…obviously not—"

"Then why are you blaming yourself for something you couldn't control?"

"I'm not blaming myself!"

"Fine, why are you torturing yourself then? Shit happens, Sam. I won't pretend to know what it was like for you on the outside looking in but we survived it…we all did. We have a beautiful, healthy little girl at home and I have all the faith in the world that we will have a healthy little boy in our arms soon."

"After everything that's happened to us I still don't know if I can have faith that it will work out okay."

"After everything that's happened to us I don't know how you can have faith that it won't." Mercedes smiled gently at him and held her hand out again. "Come here, baby, please."

Sam stared at her for a long moment before getting up and coming to her beside. She took his hands and smoothed them down across her belly as he sat down next to her.

"I'm scared." Sam choked out. "I don't want to be, but I am."

"There is nothing wrong with being scared, I'm terrified. I don't know what's going to happen but I believe from the bottom of my heart that this baby is going to be okay. I won't allow myself to think anything else."

"Easier said than done."

"Yeah, it is. But we've got this babe."

"I don't have faith in a lot of things, but I have faith in you." Sam whispered before pressing his forehead against hers.

"I have faith in us. We're going to be ooooooo….shit!"

Sam jerked away from Mercedes and watched helplessly as she doubled over from the pain of her latest contraction. He tried to rub her back but the first touch of his hands had her arching her back to get away and shaking her head fiercely at him.

"Go find me some drugs."

"Babe, I don't think—"

"NOW!"

Sam slid off the side of the bed so fast he almost hit the ground. He rushed to the door but he was met with a chipper Holly Holliday as she breezed into the room. The perky smile on her face quickly faded as she took in the terrified look on Sam's face. She brushed by him quickly and rushed to Mercedes' side.

"How are we doing Mercedes?" She asked as she glanced at the printout that was coming from the machine next to the bed. "Whew, your contractions are getting closer."

"Yeah, I'm aware of that." Mercedes answered through gritted teeth, "Can I get drugs yet or not?"

"First let me check how far you are and then we can go from there, okay?"

Mercedes laid back on the bed gingerly and positioned herself so that Dr. Holly could check to see how much she was dilated. Sam chewed on his lips nervously as he watched his wife grimace slightly as Holly did something under the sheet that he was glad he couldn't see.

"Well, Mercedes you are now fully effaced and dilated to a seven."

"Oh, thank God," Mercedes breathed out, "can I get drugs now?"

Holly laughed as she rolled away from the foot of the bed and pulled her disposable gloves off.

"Yes, you can. Are you sure that's what you want?"

"Mmm-hmmm…" Mercedes moaned out as she turned to her side and started breathing in and out rapidly.

"Ooooh, another contraction, huh?" Holly murmured soothingly as she went to the side of the bed and rubbed Mercedes' right hand that was clenching the side of her bed.

Holly looked back at Sam and with a nod of her head gestured for him to join them.

Sam went to the opposite side of the bed and gingerly placed his hand on the curve of her hip. He waited a second and after she didn't fling his hand off he slid it down to lower back and started to rub gentle circles into her skin. She moaned again but this time it was in relief instead of pain and her rapid pants of breath slowly evened out.

"I'm going to go get the anesthesiologist and he's going to get you taken care of, okay?"

Mercedes nodded and Holly patted her leg before shooting a quick smile at Sam and exiting the room.

The melodic beeps of the machines next to the bed were the only sounds in the room as Sam traveled slowly around the bed until he was facing his wife again.

"Hey baby," He murmured softly as he leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Is there anything I can do for you?"

"You can get your son out of me," Mercedes answered in a tight voice but there was a slight smile on her face. "He's a stubborn little thing and he's taking his sweet time to get here."

"I think he gets that from you." Sam teased, and the smile on Mercedes face grew wider.

"Uh, no, I'm not the stubborn one." She replied, "that would be you."

"I think he'll be the perfect blend of both of us."

"Which means he'll be a little terror?"

"Basically…yeah."

They both laughed at that and Sam breathed an internal sigh of relief that the pained tightness around Mercedes mouth lessened a bit.

"What do you think he's going to look like?" Mercedes asked quietly as she toyed with Sam's fingers.

"I don't know…I hadn't really thought about it." He shrugged.

"Really?"

"Yeah, I just want a healthy baby…ya know? I have no doubt he'll be beautiful, I mean, look at you."

"Awwww….but let's not act like I'm the pretty one in this family."

"Ha, ha." Sam whispered as he leaned forward to give her a kiss.

Mercedes threaded her fingers through his hair and the two of them continued to touch their lips to each other softly. Sam would have happily stayed in that position forever but it was cut short when Mercedes suddenly sucked in a deep breath and tugged sharply on his hair.

"Ow!" Sam yelped out more in surprise than pain. "Baby?"

"God damn it!" Mercedes spat out as the force of her latest contraction crashed down on her.

"What do you want me to do?" He asked waiting for her to tell him exactly what she needed him to do. A low, deep groan partially muffled by a pillow was the only response he got.

"God this hurts," Mercedes finally panted out and Sam's heart clenched at the sight of tears leaking out of her eyes and slowly creeping down her face.

The sight of his wife in some much pain was killing him and the fact that her relief was somewhere wandering around the hospital and not doing his or her damn job was pissing Sam off.

"You would think after that VERY generous donation I made to them a few years ago they would be a little bit more accommodating to us!"

"Oh…no…oh, hell no." Mercedes said as she glared up at Sam. "I know you're not even thinking about playing that card."

"If it will get that damn anesthesiologist in here faster, then yes, I have no problem whatsoever playing that card." Sam answered unapologetically. "You're in pain and whoever this anesthesiologist is probably somewhere with his thumb stuck up his ass—"

"Actually, she's right here."

Sam whirled around and came face to face with a very tall and very annoyed woman in a pair of green scrubs.

"Mr. Evans, I presume?" She asked with a stern look on her face. "It's been a few years since the news clips about your very generous donation but you look the same."

"Yeah, that's me." Sam answered in a quiet voice and he had the decency to look contrite.

"Well, then, let me say personally that as an employee of this hospital I was very grateful for the very generous donation that you gave because the hospital staff did such a good job with your wife and daughter's care."

Sam shifted uncomfortably and glanced back at Mercedes who was watching the exchange with a smirk on her face.

"Because of that very generous donation we've been able to provide care for countless mothers and babies including the ones I was just with not a few minutes ago before I rushed over to care for your wife and baby who are equally just as important."

"I apologize." Sam responded, "What I said was inappropriate and unfair. I was worried about my wife but that's no excuse, I'm sorry."

"Apology accepted," the anesthesiologist responded kindly before turning her attention to Mercedes. "Mrs. Evans, my name is Sue Sylvester and I'm here to hopefully make you feel better."

"I think you may be my new favorite person."

"I'm always an expectant mother's favorite person." Sue responded with a wink.

~~~CEO~~~

When Sam would tell the story of how his son was born he would always mention how great his son's timing was. It took about 20 minutes for Mercedes' epidural to work and less than 15 minutes and a few pushes later their baby was born. It all happened so fast it almost made them forget that Mercedes had been in labor for 11 hours. Almost.

Sam watched in awe as his son burrowed his tiny head into the warmth of Mercedes chest. Their son came into the world a healthy 8lbs 10oz with a set of lungs that would put his sister to shame.

Tears gathered and spilled unchecked from Sam's eyes as he watched Mercedes gently run her index finger along the side of their son's face. He knew that he had never loved her as much as he did in that moment, and that was saying something. He silently thanked God that his family was safe and happy and the dread that he had been unknowingly carrying around with him for months dissipated and he felt a million pounds lighter.

"Hey beautiful," Sam whispered as he sat on the edge of the bed and leaned forward to kiss Mercedes. "I'm so proud of you."

"Thank you," She answered bashfully, "I couldn't have done it without you, though."

Sam highly doubted that it was true because he was now convinced that Mercedes could do anything with or without his help, but he nodded his head in acceptance of the compliment.

"I can't believe he's finally here," Sam said as he skimmed his finger along the few wispy brown tendrils on the baby's head.

"What should we name him?"

"I don't know…what do you think?"

"I really love the name Gabriel."

"Hmmm….let me see." Sam gently tugged the blanket away from their son's face and studied his tiny features. "Definitely looks like a Gabriel to me."

"Yeah?" Mercedes asked with a smile.

"Yeah, I think it's almost perfect."

"Almost?"

"What about the middle name?"

"You pick something. Anything you want."

"Okay, how about James like…like mine?"

Mercedes looked up at Sam in surprise at his careful tone.

"I love that name. Why would you think I wouldn't like it?"

"Because of everything that happened with Quinn and Stevie and the sonogram…"

"And me jumping to conclusions because I didn't know your middle name was James?"

"Yeah."

"Baby, that was a lifetime ago."

"Yeah, I know I just don't want any reminders of what happened."

"Our son is not a reminder of that time, and he never will be. I love the idea of him having the same middle name as you. I love that the two of you will share that."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm 100% positive. I promise."

"So, Gabriel James Evans?" Sam asked finally in a thick voice, "Our son's name is Gabriel James?"

A tear slid out of the corner of Mercedes' eye and Sam kissed it away. She turned and leaned her forehead against his and he felt her nod her head slightly.

"Now it's perfect."

5 DAYS LATER

"I don't like him!"

"Liliana!" Sam looked at his daughter in shock, "Why would you say something like that about your brother?"

" 'Cuz I don't like him!" She answered in a huff as if she had answered the question.

Sam tried to hide his smile as he watched his daughter crossed her arms and dramatically stomped across the room. He knew he should reprimand her for her attitude but her actions reminded him of how his mother said he acted when they brought Stevie home.

"Sweetheart, come here."

Lily shot a glare at her father but she slowly made her way back across the play room to stand in front of him.

He got down on his knees and pulled her forward until she was enveloped in his arms.

"Now tell me why you don't like your brother."

"I dunno..." She mumbled as she played with a loose thread on his white Henley. "I just don't."

"Hey, look at me." Sam commanded gently as he put a finger under chin and tipped her face so they would make eye contact. "Why don't you like your brother?"

Lily's big hazel eyes instantly filled with tears and she buried her face in her hands.

"Sweetie, what's wrong with you?"

"I miss Mommy!" She wailed loudly.

"What?" Sam asked in confusion, "She's just in the other room taking a nap. What do you mean you miss her?"

"Ever since he got here she hasn't tucked me in or read me a bedtime story." Lily explained in a hurt voice, "She didn't even give me good night kisses!"

"Well, honey Mommy has been tired these last few days-"

"Too tired for me?" Lily asked in a timid voice that tugged at Sam's heartstrings.

"Of course not, baby. It's just...it's hard to explain."

"I wish he wasn't here then Mommy wouldn't be too tired for me."

Sam realized that this conversation was getting away from him and he was making things worse instead of better. He stood up and held his arms out to pick up Liliana but she just looked at him warily as she wiped her wet eyes.

"Come on baby, I want to go take you to see Mommy."

Lily brightened at that and she all but launched herself in his waiting arms. The two made the quick trip down the hall and a few seconds later they were standing outside the master bedroom.

"Okay," Sam whispered, "Here's the deal, you can see Mommy but you've got to be very quiet, okay?"

Lily gave a big exaggerated nod of her head to let him know that she understood and she even went as far as to lock her lips and throw away the key.

Sam slowly pushed the door to his bedroom open and shushed an already quiet Liliana one more time before walking through the door.

"Mommy!" Lily yelled loudly as soon as she saw her mother's still frame in the bed and Sam stared at his daughter in shock at her betrayal.

"Lily!" He whispered-yelled, "I thought we had a deal?! What happened with the key?" Sam made the locking lips motion again and Lily just shrugged in response like she had no idea what he was talking about.

Sam turned to go back out of the bedroom but he stopped at the sound of Mercedes' laughter.

"What have you two knuckleheads come up with now?"

"Mommy!" Lily squealed and she squirmed in Sam's arms until he walked to the edge of the bed and dropped her. She bounced towards her mother and all but jumped into her arms.

"Liliana, be careful." Sam said sternly, "You can't jump on your mother like that right now."

"She's okay," Mercedes murmured as she cuddled with her daughter. "What brings you two in here?"

"I miss you." Lily answered quietly, so quietly that Mercedes barely understood her.

"What did you say baby?"

"I miss you." Lily mumbled again but Mercedes heard her and her shocked gaze flew to Sam.

"Miss me? Sweetie, I'm right here."

"You didn't give me good night kisses or read me a princess story." Lily answered as she glared over at the bassinet next to the bed. "You were with him. I don't like him. Can he go back in your belly?"

"Sweetheart, it doesn't work that way." Sam responded before Mercedes got a chance to. "You can't go back in Mommy's belly and neither can he."

Lily looked away but not before her parents saw the fat tears brimming in her eyes.

Sam and Mercedes shared a bewildered look because neither one of them was quite sure how to fix the problem. Lily had never expressed any jealously about the impending birth of her brother, in fact, she seemed quite excited about it so it was a bit of an unexpected shock when she instantly disliked her brother from the second she laid eyes on him. Sam and Mercedes assumed it would get better as Lily got used to having her brother around but it appeared it was only going to get worse.

Lily tried to slid to the side of the bed so she could climb down but Mercedes stopped her and pulled her into a hug.

"And just where do you think you're going little girl?"

"I'm going to play with my toys," Lily answered sullenly.

"I thought you missed me? You don't want to spend time with me?"

Lily nodded her head but she kept glancing at her brother sleeping next to them.

"Why don't you like the baby?"

"I dunno..."

"Do you think he's going to take me away from you?"

Lily didn't answer verbally but neither parent missed the slight nod of her head.

"Do you think I won't love you because of him?"

Another slight nod.

"Lily, come here. I want you to put your head right here." Mercedes held her arms out to her daughter and patted her chest where she wanted Lily to lay her head.

The little girl took her sweet time but after a moment's indecision she crawled in her mother's lap and laid her head on her chest.

"Okay, do you hear that sound?"

Lily listened for a minute before nodding her head.

"What does it sound like?"

"Ummm...thump, thump...thump, thump."

"Do you know what that is?"

Lily listened some more before slowly shaking her head.

"That's my heartbeat. Sounds cool, huh?"

Liliana smiled and laid her head down to listen some more.

"Do you know what it sounds like from the inside?"

Lily looked at her like she was crazy before answering, "No."

"Are you sure?" Mercedes asked slyly.

Lily looked at her father for helped but he just shrugged his shoulders because he had no idea where Mercedes was going with this.

"When you were inside me, like your brother was, you could hear my heartbeat. You are the only two people in the whole wide world that can say that. That makes you two the most precious things in the world to me. There is literally nobody like you."

"Not even Daddy?"

"Nope, not even him. You and your brother are the only ones in the whole wide world!"

"Wow!"

"Yep, but you know what that means, right? You have to take care of each other and love each other."

"But he can't play Doc McStuffins!"

"No, right, now he can't but someday he will be old enough to play with you. Are you going to be there to teach him how to do it?"

Lily nodded emphatically.

"Are you sure?" Sam interjected, "Just a little while ago you were trying to get him a one way ticket back to Mommy's belly."

Lily gave her Dad an exasperated look that had Mercedes laughing loudly, unfortunately it was a little too loud for the baby because just a second later an ear-splitting scream filled the room.

"I got him," Sam said to stop Mercedes' move towards the side of the bed to grab the crying baby.

Sam gently picked up his son and patted his back soothingly. Mercedes watched the interaction with a slight smile on her face before sinking back down in the pillows and bringing Lily with her. The two of them watched Sam slow dance with Gabriel around the cramped room with matching smiles on their faces.

After the songs in his head finished Sam swayed back to his side of he bed and climbed into bed with Gabriel still cradled in his arms. Lily stared curiously at her little brother until finally curiosity got the best of her and she stuck one finger out and touched him gently on the bottom of his foot. Neither Sam or Mercedes said or word because it was the first time since Lily met her brother that she was willingly touched him or responded to him in a positive way.

Lily kept running her tiny finger back and forth along the bottom of his foot until suddenly out of the blue a small, but distinct, smile blossomed on Gabriel's face.

"Lily look at what you did!" Mercedes exclaimed as she inwardly cursed herself for not having a camera on the ready. "You were the first person to make your brother smile!"

Lily's eyes widened and she looked at her brother and the biggest, brightest smile crossed her face.

"I did that 'cuz we're special." She answered matter-of-factly and Sam and Mercedes could do nothing but laugh at the clever little child they created.

Sam bent over and placed a gentle kiss on Gabriel's forehead before moving to Lily's. His daughter smiled up at him and puckered her lips for another kiss and Sam was only too happy to grant her wish.

It didn't take too long for Gabriel to slip back into sleep and Liliana, who was completely snuggled into her mother's side, followed soon after.

Sam and Mercedes lay facing each other, with their children between them, as they listened to the faint noises of the busy street below them and the synchronized breathing of their babies.

"Ya know, if anybody would have told me years ago that this would be my life right now, I would have laughed in their faces." Sam said quietly as he ran his finger lightly over Gabriel's arm. "Who, in a million years, would have guessed I would have fallen madly in love with my assistant?"

"Not me." Mercedes laughed lightly as she twirled one of Liliana's curls. "I thought you were an asshole...God, I hated you!"

"I hated you too! You drove me insane and you completely wrecked my controlled life."

"I'm sorry." She replied but it wasn't in the least bit sincere.

"I'm not. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me."

"I know." She answered jauntily, "You're okay too."

"Ha, ha. You're so funny, ever thought of being a comedian?"

"It crossed my mind but I'm too busy assisting you to do anything else."

"You're a pro at it, the best I've ever had."

"You bet your ass I am."

"You know that sassy mouth of yours drives me crazy. It's almost as bad as that leather skirt you wore. God, where is that?"

"Why? It's not like you could get me out of it."

"Ouch...ow...that physically hurt me." Sam laughed as he clutched at his chest, "Why did you have to go there and bring up those bad memories?"

"Hey, you went there first." Mercedes replied with a smile, "Although I will say getting hot and heavy in that private room in that restaurant is not something I'd count as a bad memory."

"Mmmmm..." Sam murmured as he thought back to that day. "Okay, we're going to have to change the subject because you just gave birth five days ago and we have our children in between us but my mind is going to some very non-family friendly places."

"Sam!"

"What? I'm only human and that leather skirt of yours was just...damn, we've gotta find that damn skirt."

"Sam, focus!" Mercedes reprimanded him but it wasn't very effective because she was laughing the entire time she said it.

"I'm sorry. I promise that I won't think about your ass in that ski-"

"Sam!"

"Okay, no more talk about that good good, I swear. At least for another six weeks and then all bets are off."

Mercedes swallowed at the smoldering look in Sam's eyes but she extended her hand over their sleeping babies and shook his hand to seal the deal.

"So, do you want anymore?" Mercedes asked as she nodded down at their kids. "Or is two enough?"

"I don't think I want anymore," Sam answered honestly, "Do you remember what I said in the hospital after we named Gabriel?"

"You said, 'Now, it's perfect."

"Yes, but I was wrong. That was almost perfect because we didn't have our girl with us. This right here, the four of us, this is perfect. I don't want anything more than what we have right now. You, Lily and Gabriel are my perfection, it can't get any better than this."

Mercedes ran her hand over their sleeping babies and she looked back up at him and said with a nod, "You're right, now this is perfect.

~~THE END~~


End file.
